The future of work in Bali; during and after the pandemic
April 2021
Before the pandemic, a movement was brewing within knowledge-work organizations. Personal technology and digital connectivity have advanced so far and so fast that people had begun to ask, “Do we really need to be together, at office, to do our work?”
With lockdowns and other social restrictions implemented, we have finally got the answer to such questions. We learned that individuals, teams, entire workforces, can perform well while being entirely distributed—and they have. Beyond that, more people are even more inclined to work not only from home, but also from anywhere.
Should people know that they can work somewhere with a low cost of living, amenable visa regime, a year-round tropical climate, and a burgeoning digital infrastructure, there will be no reason to decline such benefits. This kind of place does exist, and that is in Bali, Indonesia. Before the pandemic, Bali was drawing over 16 million tourists each year. After the pandemic, just like anywhere else, this number decreased tremendously. However, it is predicted that Bali might be the capital for the digital nomad. Here’s why.
A new long-term visa
The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno, has stated that there will be a new long-term visa that would allow foreign tourists to stay in the country for up to five years.
Travel Corridor Arrangement for Foreign tourists will be open in the middle of 2021
Indonesian officials are working on a travel corridor program that could see foreign tourists visiting Bali by the middle of this year. Countries that are able to contain the spread of the coronavirus, have high vaccination rates, and could offer reciprocal benefits will be the top list of the travel corridor arrangement that will be regulated. The countries that are already on the list include the Netherlands, China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Singapore.
An App to Track the Distribution of Tourist in the Island will be launched
Targeted to be operatiomal in May, Telusur, an application to track the distribution of tourists in Bali through the occupancy status in the sites, hotels, and restaurants, is being developed by Sandiaga Uno. This will provide information on the number of visitors at each point in order to increase awareness of the virus spread and ensure that health protocols are strictly implemented in all tourist sites.
Inoculation Plans in Bali
So far, Indonesia has vaccinated over 10.6 million people, the most in Southeast Asia. It is reported that more than 50,000 people in Ubud are going to be vaccinated, as well as more than 60,000 people in Nusa Dua, and nearly 27,000 people in Sanur, who are residing in villages and sub-districts that have been officially selected as the “green zone” in the island.
With the ease and safety provided by the government, it is not overly optimistic to say that Bali may become the future capital for digital nomads. This will also ensure that doing business in Bali is probably going to be a great choice.
Moores Rowland Indonesia is located in two of the most strategic locations in the country, Jakarta and Bali. Most of our employees in Bali have already been inoculated, thanks to the government’s programs. This has enabled us to make sure that we can offer our clients the best and safe service practices available, such as;
- Tax services
- Accounting services
- Business services
- Expatriate consultancy
- Payroll services
- Outsourcing services
For more info, contact : Baudouin Coomans (baudouin.coomans@moores-rowland.com)