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View all search resultsForeign workers crackdown dents RI’s industrial zone appeal
Reliance on foreign workers familiar with proprietary technologies, as well as slow and rigid licensing processes in Indonesia, has created incentives for foreign companies to bypass formal visa channels.
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An officer from Bekasi Immigration Office (left) leads foreign workers (blurred) who were netted during the Wira Waspada Operations to enforce immigration regulations on April 8, 2026, at a construction site in Greenland International Industry Center in Deltamas, Central Cikarang, Bekasi regency, West Java. (Courtesy of Bekasi Immigration Office/-)
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ndonesia’s drive to attract investment to industrial zones is facing fresh headwinds after a series of immigration raids targeting foreign workers. Experts warn the crackdown could rattle investor confidence, suggesting tweaks to visa procedures and improved coordination among authorities to strike a better balance between security enforcement and investment appeal.
On April 8, an operation conducted by the Bekasi Immigration Office at the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) Deltamas in Cikarang, West Java, detained 78 foreign nationals suspected of violating immigration rules, 76 of whom were reportedly from China.
Ardi Sutedja, head of the Indonesia Cyber Security Forum (ICSF), underscored broader concerns about the presence of undocumented workers in sectors handling sensitive infrastructure, including data centers, particularly in automotive and digital-focused industrial areas such as GIIC Deltamas, which is owned by local conglomerate Sinarmas.
“Data centers, as critical infrastructure storing sensitive information, are highly vulnerable to such threats,” he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
“Uncertainty over the identity and intent of undocumented workers can create serious risks for companies and institutions that rely on information security.”
On the other hand, Ardi noted that the issue also carries implications for investor confidence, as Indonesia has been positioning itself as a regional hub for data centers to attract capital from global technology firms, Ardi noted.
“In an increasingly complex digital era, Indonesia must commit to creating a secure environment for investment and technological growth,” he said.
