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Cleaners and office boys in Indonesia: duties, requirements, pay and applying safely

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Cleaners and office boys keep buildings clean; if an outsourcing firm hires you, it is responsible for your pay. Placement fees are a red flag.

Summary

Medium scam risk
  • Cleaners (cleaning service staff) keep offices, hospitals, malls and other buildings clean, tidy and hygienic.
  • Cleaners employed by a cleaning company are outsourced workers, and that company is responsible for their wages and welfare.
  • Ministerial Regulation 18/2024 bars private placement agencies from charging job seekers placement fees.
  • BNSP and Kemnaker launched national certification schemes for cleaning services in May 2026.
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On this page
  1. What does a cleaner or office boy do in Indonesia?
  2. What do you need to become a cleaner?
  3. What does a typical cleaner job description look like?
  4. How much does a cleaner earn in Indonesia?
  5. Which training routes lead to cleaner jobs?
  6. Can a cleaner work abroad legally?
  7. What contracts, shifts and social security apply to cleaners?
  8. What is the career path for a cleaner?
  9. How do you check a cleaner vacancy before applying?
  10. What interview questions might you be asked for cleaner jobs?
  11. Which job scams target cleaner applicants?
  12. Where can you find safe cleaner vacancies?
  13. Which careers are similar?

What does a cleaner or office boy do in Indonesia?

A cleaner, often called cleaning service staff in Indonesia, keeps a building clean, tidy and hygienic. The work covers sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning toilets and windows, removing rubbish, restocking supplies and reporting damaged facilities. In offices, an office boy or office girl also prepares drinks and meeting rooms and helps deliver documents.

  • Clean floors, toilets, windows and work areas on schedule.
  • Remove and sort rubbish according to building rules.
  • Prepare drinks and meeting rooms for staff or guests.
  • Restock toilet and pantry supplies.
  • Report damaged facilities to technicians or building management.
  • Use and store cleaning chemicals safely.
  • Help with simple office errands such as delivering documents.

What do you need to become a cleaner?

Cleaner vacancies in Indonesia are usually open to people with primary to senior secondary education who are healthy, diligent and honest. Cleaners can be hired directly by building management or through a cleaning company as outsourced workers. Since May 2026, BNSP and Kemnaker have also launched national certification schemes for cleaning services, so a competency certificate from an LSP in this field can be a plus.

What does a typical cleaner job description look like?

Cleaner ads usually ask for honesty, attention to detail, physical health and willingness to work rotating shifts. We wrote the description below ourselves from common advertising patterns at offices, hospitals, malls and cleaning companies. It is not a vacancy from any company, so there is no apply button.

General example, not a vacancy

We wrote this description ourselves from what job ads usually ask for. It is not a vacancy from any company.

Commonly requested requirements

  • Primary to senior secondary education, depending on the workplace.
  • Diligent, honest and careful about cleanliness.
  • Healthy and able to stand or walk for long periods.
  • Willing to work rotating shifts, especially in hospitals, malls or airports.
  • Experience in building cleaning services is a plus.

Skills

Cleaning and sanitation, Safe use of cleaning products, Attention to detail, Time management, Teamwork, Polite service.

Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 bars employers from discriminating on any basis in recruitment. An age requirement is allowed only where the nature of the job genuinely affects ability and it does not remove the chance of work, and the same applies to workers with disabilities. Law 13/2003 Articles 5 and 6 guarantee equal opportunity and treatment without discrimination. JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan JDIH BPK RI (peraturan.bpk.go.id)

How much does a cleaner earn in Indonesia?

Cleaners may not be paid below the 2026 minimum wage (UMK) of the regency or city where they work, at least those with less than one year of service (PP 36/2021 Articles 23 and 24). If a cleaning company employs you, the outsourcing company is responsible for protecting your pay and welfare (PP 35/2021 Article 18). We do not show a figure for this role yet because there is no verified data with a large enough sample.

Cleaner: available pay data (as of 8 October 2026)
Data Figure Notes
Pay range in KarirAman verified vacancies Not enough data yet (n < 30)
Average net wage of employees, Professional, scientific, technical, administrative and support services (BPS Sakernas May 2026) IDR 4,039,293 reference for the Professional, scientific, technical, administrative and support services sector, not specific to this career; net (after deductions) Badan Pusat Statistik
Minimum wage (UMP/UMK) as the floor IDR 2,317,601 to IDR 5,729,876 Lowest 2026 UMP IDR 2,317,601 (West Java), highest IDR 5,729,876 (Jakarta) Micro and small businesses are exempt from the minimum wage rules; pay there is set by agreement and still has a legal floor. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

Check your city's minimum wage (2026) Work out your take-home pay How we handle salary data

Which training routes lead to cleaner jobs?

Cleaners usually learn on the job, but formal training helps you move up to supervisor. BNSP and Kemnaker launched 12 national certification schemes for cleaning services on 5 May 2026 for use by certification bodies (LSP) in this field. Kemnaker's National Vocational Training Programme on Skillhub is free for SMA or SMK graduates with a SIAPkerja account. If you plan to work in Japan, prepare for a Japanese language test as well.

Can a cleaner work abroad legally?

Yes. Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (Tokutei Ginou) visa has a building cleaning field, with a JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 Japanese test and a skills test for the field. By contrast, Indonesia is not an approved source country for services, manufacturing or construction Work Permits in Singapore, so Singapore cleaning jobs on a Work Permit offered to Indonesians are suspect. Check job orders and licensed agencies (P3MI) on KP2MI's SISKOP2MI.

What contracts, shifts and social security apply to cleaners?

Cleaners employed by a cleaning company are outsourced workers. Their contract must be written, and an outsourcing PKWT must transfer their protections when the outsourcing company changes (Government Regulation 35/2021, Articles 18 and 19). Employers must register workers with BPJS (Law 24/2011, Article 15). Women who start or finish work between 23.00 and 05.00 are entitled to transport from the employer (Law 13/2003, Article 76).

Legal status: the Labour Protection Law was approved by the DPR and the Government on 6 October 2026 but has not been promulgated and its text is not public. Until it takes effect, the rules on this page apply.

Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat RI (emedia); Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan RI

What is the career path for a cleaner?

Consistent cleaners can become area leaders or coordinators, then supervisors who plan schedules, supplies and cleaning quality across several buildings. Other paths include specialist cleaning, such as high-rise windows or hospital sterile rooms, general affairs work looking after office facilities, kitchen stewarding or hotel housekeeping. A competency certificate in cleaning services from a certification body (LSP) licensed by BNSP helps prove your skills.

How do you check a cleaner vacancy before applying?

  1. Look up the cleaning company or building manager on its official website and match the vacancy.
  2. Check the company's full legal name on AHU through the service below. Do not rely on a business identification number (NIB) printed in an ad, because we found no public NIB search on OSS.
  3. Make sure the interview takes place at the company's office or the work site.
  4. Refuse any request for a placement fee, uniform money, your original diploma or bank details before you sign an employment agreement.
  5. For overseas offers, check the placement agency against the official P3MI list.
  6. Keep the ad and messages, then check the ad with the job checker or report it through an official channel.

What interview questions might you be asked for cleaner jobs?

Interview questions for cleaner jobs often cover your household, cleaning or care experience, keeping trust and privacy, using cleaning products safely, and what to agree before you start. Each example below comes with why it is asked and how to answer it. The Ministry of Manpower warns that an instant chat interview without formal confirmation is one sign of a fake job.

Republika (official statement via media)

General examples written by KarirAman, not questions from any particular company. How to practise: read the question, answer it out loud, then open the guidance to compare.

Questions for this field

What household, cleaning or care work have you done?

Why they ask: The employer wants to know which tasks you already do well.

How to answer: Name the tasks and equipment you know, for how long and for whom, without exaggerating.

How do you keep the employer's trust about belongings and privacy at home or at work?

Why they ask: This work often happens in other people's private spaces.

How to answer: Explain that you ask before using things, report any damage and never share the employer's private matters.

How do you work safely with cleaning products?

Why they ask: Mixing the wrong chemicals can be dangerous.

How to answer: Mention reading labels, wearing gloves, opening windows and never mixing cleaning products.

What do you do if you are ill or have a family emergency?

Why they ask: The employer needs to know you will tell them and not just disappear.

How to answer: Say you will tell them as early as possible through the agreed channel and help arrange cover when you can.

What should be agreed before you start work?

Why they ask: A clear agreement prevents disputes and exploitation.

How to answer: Get in writing: duties, hours, rest days, pay and pay date, accommodation if you live in, and how either side can end the job. Keep your own KTP and personal documents.

How do you plan your time to clean a large area?

Why they ask: Cleaners often cover many spaces in one shift.

How to answer: Explain your schedule and checklist, starting with the busiest areas and reporting damaged facilities.

Common questions that also come up (12 questions)

  • Tell me about yourself.

    Answer in about a minute: where you are now in work or study, two experiences that matter for this job, then why you applied. Personal matters such as family status are not needed.

  • Why did you apply to this company?

    Mention one or two real things you learned from the company's official website, such as its business or services, and link them to your skills.

  • Why are you interested in this role?

    Pick two tasks from the job advert, describe similar things you have done, and say which part you most want to grow in.

  • What are your strengths?

    Name one or two strengths and give short proof: the situation, what you did and the result.

  • What is your weakness?

    Choose a real weakness that is not central to the job, then explain what you are doing to improve it.

  • Tell me about a problem at work or school that you solved.

    Use the STAR pattern: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Focus on what you yourself did and what you learned.

  • How do you work in a team, including when people disagree?

    Give a real example of listening, explaining your view politely and finding a solution everyone accepted.

  • How do you handle pressure or tight deadlines?

    Explain how you set priorities, such as a task list or checking with your supervisor, and give one example of the outcome.

  • Where do you see yourself in two or three years?

    Mention the skills you want to master and the responsibility you hope to take on, without promising things you cannot know.

  • What salary do you expect?

    First research the pay range for the role and the local minimum wage where you would work. Give a range, then ask whether the figure is gross or net and which allowances apply.

  • When can you start?

    Give a realistic date. If you are still employed, mention the notice period in your current contract so you do not break it.

  • Do you have any questions for us?

    Ask about the contract type, working hours, base pay and allowances, the next selection step and when results are announced. Ask for the offer in writing.

Warning signs in interviews (6)

  • The interview happens only by WhatsApp or Telegram chat with no formal invitation, or you are pushed to be interviewed on the spot.

    What to do: Ask for a written invitation from a company-domain e-mail address, then match the contact with the official website you look up yourself.

    Republika (official statement via media)Kompas TV (official statement via media)detikFinance

  • You are asked to pay for a test, a psychological test, a medical check-up, training or a uniform, or to book tickets and a hotel through an appointed agent with a promise of reimbursement.

    What to do: Do not transfer anything. The Ministry of Manpower says legitimate recruitment does not charge applicants.

    Kompas TV (official statement via media)Republika (official statement via media)Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA)

  • The interview is held in a hotel room, a private house or another closed place that is not an office, or the location keeps changing. An invitation to stay overnight, or any sexual demand, as a condition for being hired or for renewing a contract is also a warning sign.

    What to do: Ask for the interview at the office or a public place, tell someone close to you where you are, and leave if you feel unsafe. Sexual demands can be reported to the police or the local manpower office (Disnaker). If you are in danger, call the police.

    Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)detikBali (detik.com) (official statement via media)Medcom.id (official statement via media)

  • You are asked for a photo of your KTP or family card, a selfie holding your ID, your bank account number, an OTP code, a PIN or a password before any written job offer.

    What to do: Do not send them. OJK says never to give an OTP, PIN or password to anyone, and identity data can be misused for illegal online loans.

    Kompas TV (official statement via media)Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI)Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)

  • The interview invitation arrives as an app file (APK) or a link that asks you to install an app.

    What to do: Do not open it. OJK and Kominfo warn that fake APK files can read SMS messages with OTP codes and then drain bank accounts.

    CNN Indonesia (official statement via media)

  • After the interview you are asked to hand over your original diploma or other original personal documents as a guarantee for the job.

    What to do: Ministry of Manpower Circular M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 bars employers from requiring or holding original diplomas and personal documents as a guarantee for the job. The only exception is a diploma or competency certificate from education or training paid for by the employer under a written employment agreement, and the employer must keep it safe and compensate you if it is damaged or lost. Otherwise, show them for checking, then take them home.

    Dinas Tenaga Kerja Kota Batam (meneruskan SE Menteri Ketenagakerjaan RI)

In danger or held at an interview location? Call the police:

See all interview questions Build an ATS CV Write a cover letter

Which job scams target cleaner applicants?

Scams aimed at cleaners can take the form of requests for money to get a job at a cleaning company or a particular building, such as placement, uniform or training fees. Ministerial Regulation 18/2024 bars private placement agencies from charging job seekers placement fees, and Kemnaker lists requests for money for uniforms or training as a sign of a fake vacancy. For overseas work, beware of offers without a licensed P3MI.

Warning signs in cleaner job ads

  • An agent asks for a placement fee to post you at a particular building or company.JDIH BPK RI
  • You are asked to buy a uniform or pay for training before you start work.Republika (official statement via media)
  • You are asked to hand over your original diploma as a guarantee.CNBC Indonesia (official statement via media)
  • You are offered cleaning work in Singapore on a Work Permit, although Indonesia is not an approved source country for services Work Permits.Ministry of Manpower Singapore
  • An overseas job offer asks for money beyond the costs written and itemised in the Placement Agreement.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  • The recruiter asks for a photo of your ID card, your bank account number or a selfie holding your ID before any formal interview.Kompas TV (official statement via media)

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Where can you find safe cleaner vacancies?

Look for cleaner vacancies on the official sites of cleaning companies, building managers or hospitals, on Kemnaker's Karirhub portal and at official job fairs. Under Ministerial Regulation 18/2024, licensed job portals and job fair organisers may not charge job seekers. A normal interview takes place at the company's office or the work site, not at a house or cafe. KarirAman does not list verified cleaner vacancies yet.

No verified vacancies for this role yet

We only list vacancies we have checked. In the meantime, look for jobs on these official channels.

Which careers are similar?

See other careers in Security and services

Frequently asked questions

Can outsourcing firms charge cleaners a placement fee?

Not as a job seeker. Ministerial Regulation 18/2024, Article 11 bars private placement agencies from charging job seekers placement fees, except for certain positions set by regulation. A company that recruits directly also bears its own placement costs (Article 51). If you are asked for money to be posted, stop the process and keep the evidence.

What is the difference between an office boy and cleaning service staff?

Cleaning service staff focus on keeping a building clean, such as floors, toilets, windows and rubbish, often on shifts. An office boy or office girl usually works in one office and, besides cleaning, prepares drinks and meeting rooms and helps with small tasks such as photocopying or delivering documents. Job titles vary between companies, so read the duties in the ad before applying.

How can I work as a cleaner in Japan legally?

Japan's Specified Skilled Worker visa has a building cleaning field for people who pass a Japanese test, such as JFT-Basic or JLPT N4, and a skills test for the field. Under Law 18/2017, Article 30(1), Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs, and Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025 allows only costs written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Any request for money outside that document is a red flag.

Are cleaners entitled to BPJS Ketenagakerjaan?

Yes. Law 24/2011, Article 15 requires employers to register their workers as BPJS participants. For wage earners, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan covers work accident insurance (JKK), death benefit (JKM), old-age savings (JHT), pension (JP) and job loss insurance (JKP). Work accident cover matters because cleaning carries risks of slips and exposure to chemicals.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

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How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Cleaners and office boys in Indonesia: duties, requirements, pay and applying safely. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/careers/cleaner/

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Change log
  • : Titles and headings now match common searches; added the category, who the job suits and links to domestic worker, kitchen steward and general affairs roles.