The Indonesia-Australia Skills Development Exchange Pilot (the Pilot) gives businesses work placement opportunities in the other country for up to twelve months. The Pilot supports workplace skills development and strengthens cooperation and understanding between Australia and Indonesia.
On 25 August 2023, Australia and Indonesia signed an amended Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), It replaces the original MoU signed in March 2019 and expands opportunities under the Pilot.
After a temporary pause, the Pilot has resumed with a refreshed application process. Express your interest and assess general eligibility for the program.
Who is eligible?
The Pilot allows up to 100 work placements in each country to 30 June 2024. This increases by 100 placements each year, reaching 500 placements in each country in the 12 months to 30 June 2028.
To be eligible for the Pilot, applicants must:
- be over 18 when applying to participate in the Pilot
- be currently employed on a full-time basis by the sending organisation
- meet the specified skill level
- meet any licensing, registration, certification or other requirements for regulated occupations
- have adequate language proficiency for the position
Other requirements may apply. See the Skill Development Exchange Pilot Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for details.
What work is covered?
Exchanges can take place in these sectors:
- Agribusiness and food processing
- Creative economy
- Financial and insurance services
- Green economy
- Information media and telecommunications services
- Mining, engineering and related technical services
- Tourism and travel related services
Placements in other sectors may be approved under the process in chapter 4.2 of the MoU. For placements outside the listed sectors, email the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) at iacepa.skills@dfat.gov.au.
Work placements must be at an appropriate skill level. In Australia, this means an occupation classified as Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) Skill Level 1 to 3, unless Australian citizenship or permanent residence is required. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). For more information, including occupation names and codes, see the OSCA classification.
In Indonesia, an appropriate skill level means the occupation requires:
a Diploma 1 degree, for work placements of up to 6 months
a bachelor degree or higher and 5 years’ work experience for placements of up to 12 months.
Which organisations can participate?
Sending and host organisations should have, or establish, a relationship to arrange a work placement. Exchanges may be between:
- branches or parts of the same organisation
- an organisation and an affiliate organisation, such as a subsidiary or related entity
- an organisation and an established partner, such as a joint venture partner, businesses with formal links or established client
- organisations that are Members of KADIN, APINDO, IABC, ACCI, AI Group or AIBC
What sort of training will a participant get?
Work placements can last up to twelve months. Training will depend on the participant's needs and the sending organisation’s skills priorities. It may include classroom learning, technical training and on-the-job skills development, delivered at the workplace or by external providers.
How to apply
Indonesians applying for a placement in Australia must apply to DFAT for a letter of support. DFAT uses an online application system.
The application has two parts. First, complete an Expression of Interest to check general eligibility for the Pilot program. If eligible, applicants will be invited to complete the full application form. See Key documents and further information below to preview the form and letter templates.
Once DFAT verifies your documents, you will receive email confirmation that you and the sending organisation can start applying for a Permit of UKPS from Indonesia’s Ministry of Migrant Workers Protection.
If DFAT approves your application, it will provide a letter of support. Indonesian applicants will need this letter to apply for a Temporary work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) Government Agreement stream. Follow the instructions on the Department of Home Affairs website.
For further information about placements in Australia, email iacepa.skills@dfat.gov.au.
Australians applying for a work placement in Indonesian should refer to the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia. DFAT can provide Australian applicants with a letter of acknowledgment to support their application. To request a letter, email iacepa.skills@dfat.gov.au.
Key documents and further information
- Memorandum of Understanding on the Indonesia-Australia Skills Development Exchange Pilot (amended - signed 25 August 2023)
- Skills Development Exchange Privacy Notice
- Template for Host Organisation SDE Pilot Letter of Offer [DOCX 54 KB]
- Template for Sending Organisation SDE Pilot Letter of Support [DOCX 49 KB]
- Preview copy of EOI Application Form [DOCX 42 KB]
- Preview copy of EOI Application Form [PDF 155K]
- Preview copy of Full Application Form [DOCX 48 KB]
- Preview copy of Full Application Form [PDF 121 KB]