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Working in Oman offers great benefits and opportunities, especially for workers who intend to build their career because of the Sultanate’s relatively small size, meaning, there is plenty of work to go around for people who can build a decent work history within their respective fields.

However, as the Sultanate currently limits its acquisition of foreign talents in favour of nationals through its Omanization programme, it pays to note some of the requirements which expats should undergo or take advantage of to remain working in the country despite the restrictions set in place.

[Guide] Getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in Oman

In line with this, foreign nationals should be aware of the no-objection (NOC) certificate, which they will need in order to be allowed to continue working in the Sultanate.

An NOC is a document issued by the current employer to their employees in order to allow them to switch to another employer, and therefore continue their work in the country. However, the NOC lets the companies have strong power over their employees.

Since the law has been passed in 2014, it has immediately had an acute effect on the expats already working in the Sultanate of Oman.

For one, the system sets up a power imbalance between the employer and the foreign employee. Many argue that the NOC may not even apply to blue-collared workers, who cannot approach the company’s management regarding the NOC, which is a common set-up in Omani companies.

However, as the law has already been set, please be guided by these steps to get an NOC from your employer:

First and foremost, make sure that your two-year contract has been completed. Otherwise, the company may refuse to give an NOC in Oman ( e.g. in the middle of the contract, getting an NOC is based on the company’s discretion).
Approach the Public Relationship Officer or Human Resource Officer of your company to resign from your post. Follow the procedures stated.
Serve your notice period.
Comply with the requirements needed of you prior to your release from the company.
Once you have settled all the requirements, collect the NOC from the company.

In the event that you are not issued an NOC, you can either return to your own country or continue working for the same company. Do note that the issuance of an NOC is at the discretion of the company, and this decision cannot be influenced or affected by any person/entity outside of the company.

Also, it’s important to understand that you will not be allowed to extend your visa after leaving the country without an NOC. This means that you will be banned to return to Oman for work for two years.

The purpose of the NOC in Oman is to ensure that foreign workers establish a long-time relationship with their employers, as the economy of Oman is affected by the short stay of workers.

Since NOCs can be denied by a company if you are making a loss to the company, you need to become competent in the position you are given, as opportunities for work among expats are being restricted to benefit nationals. And to avoid the ban on your visa, your performance and contributions should be enough to convince the company to give you an NOC.

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With oil prices taking a hit in recent years, many GCC member countries have started to explore alternative forms of revenue, such as building up other sectors like tourism and education, and then there’s the proposal to impose the value added tax – something that has long been non-existent in the Middle East, which is also one of the main reasons why many expats opt to expand their careers in the region.

ALSO READ: Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Should Work in Oman

However, as national revenues start to go down, governments could no longer support the social system they cater to, and this creates a situation requiring citizens to pay out of their pockets more to avail basic services. And for this to happen, every citizen needs to have a job. However, going back to the system wherein countries have long been dependent on foreign labourers to power an economy, we all know that something has got to change soon.

Oman to Introduce Expat Visa Ban for Senior Management Roles — Credits: jurvetson/Flickr

Senior Management to Get Affected by Expat Visa Ban in Oman

In line with this, the government of Oman is looking to extend its expat visa ban once again, but this time, senior management positions in the private sector will be affected as the country continues to push its Omanization policy in a bid to cut unemployment among its citizens, as shared in a report by Arab News.

Under the new provisions of the law, those expats currently working in the specified roles will be able to work until the end of their current residency visas, but will not be able to renew them, as the roles will be entirely delegated to Omanis.

The specified roles as per the Ministry of Manpower include assistant general manager, administration director, human resources director, personnel director, training director, follow-up director, public relations director, assistant manager, and all administrative and clerical duties.

However, the report did not specify how many of the current 37,299 managerial and administrative roles would be given to Omani nationals.

The expat visa ban has been adopted by Oman in January 2018 for a six-month period for certain professions.

Since then, there have been several extensions on the ban, and it has been expanded to cover other industries and professions, which enabled tens of thousands of Omanis to find work.

Historically, Gulf countries have been dependent on expatriate workers to support their economies; with a 2013 study indicating as much as 71% of Oman’s labour force were foreign-nationals.

Since the introduction of the expat visa ban, Oman’s expat population has dropped significantly, which is also a trend noted in other GCC countries with nationalization programmes such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, among others.

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