North Jakarta Class I Immigration Office officials detained and deported 10 Chinese nationals for performing construction work in Penjaringan while holding C2 visas. Authorities said the workers violated Indonesia’s immigration law. Their permits did not authorize paid labor. Immigration authorities barred them from re-entering Indonesia and sent them on a flight from Jakarta to Guangzhou on July 17.

JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—The North Jakarta Class I Immigration Office authorities have deported 10 Chinese nationals. Officers found them working as construction laborers while holding C2 business visit visas. These visas do not permit paid employment in the country.

Immigration officers found the workers at a construction project in the Pluit Karang Sari residential area of Penjaringan, North Jakarta. This information came from North Jakarta Class I Immigration Office chief Rendra Mauliansyah.

“The 10 Chinese nationals were found working as laborers, even though they only held visit visas in Indonesia,” Rendra said in a statement reported by Antara on July 25.

Immigration investigators found that all 10 nationals had entered Indonesia using C2 visit visas. Three were reportedly assembling reinforcing steel and structural pillars. Seven others were cutting wood and steel for the building’s main framework.

Indonesia’s Immigration Directorate General defines the C2 visa as a single-entry business visit visa. It allows activities including business meetings, negotiations, purchasing goods, inspecting factories and tourism.

Holders may initially stay for up to 60 days. Indonesian immigration regulations prohibit them from selling goods or services or from receiving wages from individuals or companies in Indonesia.

Officials concluded that the construction work was inconsistent with the purpose of the visas.

According to Rendra, the workers violated Article 122 of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration. This article covers foreigners who intentionally misuse a residence permit or conduct activities outside its approved purpose.

The law provides a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to Rp500 million for qualifying offenses. This information is according to the official legislation database.

Rather than pursuing a criminal case, immigration officials imposed administrative measures under Article 75(2)(a) and (f). These articles authorize placement on Indonesia’s entry-ban list and deportation.

“They were held in the detention room of the North Jakarta Class I Immigration Office before being deported and barred from re-entering Indonesia,” Rendra said.

Immigration authorities deported the 10 nationals on Friday, July 17, 2026—eight days before Antara published its report.

“They were returned to their country on a Jakarta–Guangzhou flight through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport,” Rendra added.

Their placement on the entry-ban list allows Indonesian immigration officers to refuse them admission in the future. The original report did not include responses from the workers, the construction project operator or their alleged employer.