Need advice!

Anywhere in Indonesia the appropriate Manpower office levies its legal fee of $100 a month ($1,200 a year) to issue a work permit for a foreign employee (with a few exceptions).

This has been the case since 2003 for issuance of an IMTA:

"Companies employing foreigners are charged $100/month (US$ 1,200/year per expatriate employee to offset the costs of training Indonesian nationals (Article 47 Manpower Act number 13 year 2003). This tax is administered through the Department of Manpower. Proof of payment of the Skill & Development Fund (DPKK fee to the BNI '46 bank for one year in advance, amounting to US $1,200 (non refundable), and is needed before a Work Permit can be approved."

In Bali where unemployment is a particularly serious problem the green light has been given from Jakarta for the Provincial Manpower office to increase the fee to $200 a month ($2,400 a year).

http://beatmag.com/daily/bali-companies … n-workers/http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-dail … rmits.html

Yes, it's expensive but if you believe (like I do) that it should be Indonesia first for Indonesians, then it sounds more than fair and reasonable...so long as the fees are used for their intended purposes.