Foreign Company Setup Indonesia: A Guide for Singaporeans

How can Singaporean Entrepreneurs Set Up A PT PMA in Indonesia?

  • InCorp Editorial Team
  • 10 September 2019
  • 5 minutes reading time

Before being able to successfully run a business and penetrate the Indonesian market, company registration in Indonesia is required as part of the business incorporation process. This applies to all foreign entrepreneurs, including Singaporean entrepreneurs.

More and more Singaporean entrepreneurs have flocked into Indonesia to start businesses in various sectors and industries.

With a total investment of USD 8.9 billion in 2020, according to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Singapore topped the list of the biggest foreign investors in Indonesia.

What is more, Singapore is Indonesia’s fifth-largest destination for non-oil and gas goods export. The export of non-oil/gas items from Indonesia to Singapore has a yearly total value of US$9 billion.

In addition to the active trades between both countries, Singapore and Indonesia’s joint development in the Kendal Industrial Estate has already attracted more than 43 tenants.

The Kendal Industrial Estate in Central Java is a joint project between Singapore and Indonesia, with an expected investment of up to IDR 200 trillion (US$ 14 trillion).

The investment from Singapore in Indonesia will attract at least 300 tenants, providing 500,000 job opportunities by the end of 2025. This estate is set to develop in three phases with a total land occupation of 2,700 hectares. In line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0, the investment opportunities for Singapore’s investors are limitless.

If you are one of the Singaporean entrepreneurs who intend to expand to Indonesia, you may want to set up a foreign-owned company (PT PMA), the most common option chosen by foreign entrepreneurs.

This article further discusses PT PMA in Indonesia and how to set up one.

Foreign Company Setup in Indonesia: What is PT PMA?

A PT PMA, or a foreign-owned company in Indonesia, is a limited liability company with the injection of foreign capital or investment.

A company is considered a PT PMA even with as little as 1% of foreign ownership. This is the most common form of company setup in Indonesia for foreigners to start generating income from their business activities.

Negative Investment List in Indonesia

Though relatively simple to set up in Indonesia, the percentage of foreign ownership may be restricted for certain business sectors under the Negative Investment List (NIL).

According to the NIL, some sectors are fully close to foreign investments, and some sectors are only partially open to foreign ownership. This list is usually updated once every three years.

Therefore, it is advisable for business owners to refer to the latest version. For any inquiries on setting up your PT PMA in compliance with NIL, you can also reach out to Cekindo for more information.

company registration indonesia pt pma

PT PMA Requirements for Investors from Singapore

There are requirements you, as an investor from Singapore, need to meet before you can set up a PT PMA in Indonesia:

PT PMA Shareholders

As a PT PMA in Indonesia, your business will require a minimum of two shareholders. The shareholders can be corporate shareholders or individuals.

Apart from shareholders, a PT PMA needs at least one director and one commissioner. Both the director and the commissioner can be either a foreigner or a local national.

However, we encourage the director to be an Indonesian because this local individual is responsible for the operations of the company.

Initial Paid-Up Capital of PT PMA

IDR 10 billion is the minimum paid-up capital for PT PMA in Indonesia. You will need to prove your paid-up capital by providing a signed capital statement letter or transferring the capital to your PT PMA’s bank account.

The first option is more practical because the second option requires you to have a bank account – which, you may not have it since your company is still in the process of incorporation.

Location of Your PT PMA Company

It is also a requirement for you to determine your business location before your investment application submission. In other words, you need to have a registered business address for your PT PMA incorporation to be successful.

Foreign Company Registration Process in Indonesia

The entire registration and establishment process, including all procedures, takes 4 to 6 weeks.

No. Procedure Duration
(working days)
1 Approval of company name at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights 1
2 Preparation of Article of Association by Notary 3
3 Approval of Deed of Establishment at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights 3
4 Obtaining Taxpayer Registration Number 2
5 Obtaining Certificate of Domicile from local district office (except for Jakarta) 10
6 Approval of Business Registration Number (NIB), Business Permit, Commercial/Operational Permit, Location Permit, Environmental Permit and BPJS through the Indonesian Online Single Submission (OSS) System 2

Foreign Company Setup in Indonesia with Cekindo

Cekindo is a part of In.Corp Group in Singapore, one of the largest Asian based corporate service providers. We have incorporated 20,000+ entities in the last 10 years and successfully conducted 12,000+ compliance transactions every year.

With our presence in Singapore, you would not have to fly to Indonesia to register your company, especially now amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The experienced consultants of Cekindo in Singapore will lead you through the entire PT PMA setup process in the most professional and efficient manner. We will also handle all paperwork and submission procedure on your behalf, so you can have peace of mind.

Get in touch with us by filling in the form below should you require further information on company registration, particularly foreign company (PT PMA) establishment or set up in Indonesia.

Daris Salam

COO Indonesia at InCorp Indonesia

With more than 10 years of expertise in accounting and finance, Daris Salam dedicates his knowledge to consistently improving the performance of InCorp Indonesia and maintaining clients and partnerships.

Get in touch with us.

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Frequent Asked Questions

As their names suggest, the main differences between the three business kinds in Indonesia lie in the businesses and the purpose of their incorporation. Local company owners (PT) must be Indonesian citizens, as even 1 percent of foreign ownership is not allowed. This type of company is not limited to entering any business field, and restrictions on incorporation are not so tight. On the contrary, a foreign-owned company (PT PMA) is open to international investors, but the maximal percentage of foreign shares differs in various business sectors. Contact InCorp to get the most updated information on the Negative Investment List. International investors tend to open representative offices as a first step to understanding the Indonesian market before setting up a limited liability company. This type is used for marketing and promotion activities and needs the right to sell directly and receive income.

There are three things business owners need to consider before setting up a business in Indonesia: the type of business entity, capital requirements, and regulations.

Indonesian regulations separate local companies from foreign companies. Generally, foreign-owned companies (PT PMA) have more limitations than their local counterparts (Local PT). However, to pursue more foreign direct investment in the country, the government has taken several bold initiatives to increase the ease of doing business and provide numerous attractive incentives for foreign investors.

Yes, this mainly applies to import and export businesses. Instead of establishing a company, you can use an under-name import service, an importer of record.

It should take between 30 to 45 days.