Omani Ban On Private Sector Expat Workers Extended Again

Oman’s Ministry of Manpower has now extended its ban on expats and is reserving certain occupations for Omanis only.

Some 87 separate job sectors are again reserved for Omani citizens, with the ban expected to last for a further six months. All permits allowing expats to work in the private sector are to be temporarily suspended, including those in the IT, admin and human resources, media, medical, engineering, technical, insurance, accounting, finance, technical and airport staffing sectors. Expats whose visas were granted before the decree was brought in are to be allowed to continue working until the end of their visas, and SMEs in the emirate are to be exempt from the extended legislation.

Omani Chamber of Commerce head Saif al Badi told local media the exemption of SMEs from the legislation is essential, as it gives entrepreneurs full control over their businesses. He added the ban was also intended to encourage defections from the government sector by those wishing to start their own enterprises in the private sector. Those choosing this option, he said, would allow the resulting vacancies to be filled by Omani jobseekers. Al Badi believes there’s an overload of expat workers in various sectors, including real estate, in which there is an excess of supply but a reduction in demand. Before the visa ban is ended, he said, his ministry must make sure the property market has no further need for expat workers.

According to Oman’s Centre for Statistics and Information, just under 88 per cent of all workers in the emirate’s private sector are expatriates, with only 250,000 Omanis taking jobs. Subsequent to last year’s introduction of the visa ban, some 60,000 more Omanis have found work in the sector, whilst expat worker numbers have declined by 3.6 per cent.