What this is about
On 11 October 2026 the Balinese outlet NusaBali ran an opinion column on the gig economy and remote work on the island. The author combined fresh employment data with a pointed question. Bali now draws people who work from laptops in cafes in Canggu, Ubud, Sanur and Denpasar. Are young Balinese getting a fair share of that economy?
The gig economy is a model where people earn through projects, freelance work, digital platforms and short contracts. Think ride hailing drivers, photographers, designers, video editors, digital marketers, programmers and consultants.
The labour numbers
Bali's open unemployment rate stood at 1.52% in May 2026. Around 2.66 million people were employed, and 51.55% of them worked in the formal sector. The rest, nearly half, were in informal work. Accommodation and food services added more workers than any other sector over that period.
The author cautions that informal work is not the same as gig work. Street traders, family workers and the self employed differ from digital freelancers. Still, the structure shows heavy reliance on tourism and services, where job security and productivity vary widely.
Data from BPS, Indonesia's statistics agency, show that in 2025 Bali had more than 258,000 workers aged 20 to 24 and nearly 297,000 aged 25 to 29. Most of them worked at least 35 hours a week. Only 5.33% of Balinese aged 15 to 24 were not in education, employment or training, the group known as NEET. The national figure was 19.44%.
A paradox of arrivals and departures
Indonesia's 2025 digital society index gave Bali a score of 48.22, above the national average of 44.53. Access to technology is not the problem. The open question is whether that access turns into well paid clients and projects.
Back in 2024, Bali's provincial secretary noted that new IT jobs were growing on the island but that some of the people doing them were not Balinese. The columnist stresses this does not prove outsiders dominate digital work.
At the same time, Balinese keep leaving to earn more. BP3MI Bali, the provincial agency that protects migrant workers, recorded 9,313 islanders placed in jobs overseas as of 9 July 2026. The author calls that a rational choice for income and experience. The column also sees a contradiction: the island hosts remote workers from elsewhere while some of its own people travel far for better prospects.
Customary duties and flexible hours
For Balinese, flexibility means more than picking a cafe with a view. Daily life includes temple ceremonies and obligations to the banjar, the neighbourhood council, and to the desa adat, the customary village.
The law recognises this. Bali Provincial Regulation (Perda) No. 10 of 2019 lets workers take leave on full pay for customary and cultural duties. Each leave covers one day, up to four times a year. Employers must also allow local staff to take part in religious and customary activities.
The author argues remote work can answer exactly this need. A designer in Gianyar could serve a Jakarta company, or a video editor in Buleleng a client in Singapore, without leaving home or community.
The author's proposals
In the gig economy, clients often find a worker before any CV is sent. Personal branding therefore acts as a signal of skill. The author warns that followers are not competence and that real value rests on skills, a portfolio, reputation and a network.
The columnist urges universities to prepare graduates who can sell their skills directly, not just pass a job interview. The column also asks local government to judge digital training by how many participants later win clients or raise their income, not by attendance.
What it means for the market
The column points to two flows that matter for housing and services on Bali. One is remote workers who choose the island as a base. The other is local staff who keep tourism and property running.
Low unemployment and job growth in hotels and restaurants may mean competition for staff. Young workers leaving for jobs abroad could add to that pressure.