In 2010, Khairul Amri moved overseas for the first time to join Indonesian football club Persiba Balikpapan. Khairul Amri substantiated his decision to join the Indonesian side on the fact that it was a rare opportunity, not just for him to prove himself overseas as a footballer, but also to expand the profile of Singaporean football. The move would also allow Khairul Amri to be exposed to a different type of challenge as he had already been playing in the S.League for 5 years.