How do investors choose a holding jurisdiction for a PMA firm in Indonesia?

  • InCorp Editorial Team
  • 17 June 2025
  • 1 minutes reading time

Investors considering investments in Indonesia should assess existing International Investment Agreements between Indonesia and other countries. Having a business presence in countries with such agreements may offer incentives like stronger investment protection and higher foreign shareholding in Indonesia.

Verified by

Ales Cina

Consulting Manager at InCorp Indonesia

Aleš manages solution delivery at InCorp Indonesia, optimizing incorporation processes and client relationships. His experience in internal auditing, retail, and sales offers valuable global insights. Aleš, with a degree in Economics and Finance from the Czech Republic, helps clients navigate cross-border business challenges, focusing on cultural and legal insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

    According to Presidential Regulation No. 10/2021 and the amended version, all businesses are open for domestic and foreign investment with these limitations and classifications:

    • Eight businesses are closed to foreign investment and may be operated by the central government.
    • Designated business sectors or joint ventures with cooperatives (koperasi) and micro, small, and medium enterprises
    • Open businesses are subject to specific conditions, such as those that are exclusively available to 100% local investors, those with restricted foreign shareholding, and investments requiring special licenses

    Certain sectors are closed to foreign investment, including narcotics cultivation, gambling, and environmental conservation activities.

    A nominee arrangement is an arrangement that uses another person’s name as a subject. In Indonesia, it is prohibited. This restriction aims to prevent situations where a company is owned by one party but beneficially owned by another. According to the law, any nominee agreement between a local party and a foreign investor is deemed null and void.

    For tax purposes in Indonesia, companies must maintain their books in Rupiah, using the Indonesian language, and store them within the country. Exceptions for using USD and English in bookkeeping require prior notification to the authorities and any use of languages other than Indonesian needs approval from the Ministry of Finance.

    Yes, in a foreign-owned (PT PMA) company, a foreigner can be a director or a commissioner

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The information is provided by PT. Cekindo Business International (“InCorp Indonesia/ we”) for general purpose only and we make no representations or warranties of any kind. We do not act as an authorized government or non-government provider for official documents and services, which is issued by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia or its appointed officials. We do not promote any official government document or services of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, including but not limited to, business identifiers, health and welfare assistance programs and benefits, unclaimed tax rebate, electronic travel visa and authorization, passports in this website.