Oman’s Ministry of Manpower ends deals with 199 companies for lack of Omani employees

A panoramic view of Muscat. (Shutterstock)

DUBAI: Oman’s Ministry of Manpower has ended deals with 199 companies because they did not employ enough local citizens, national daily Times of Oman reported.
According to the ministry, the companies hired dozens of people, but none were Omani nationals, which goes against the country’s Omanization policy, to increase the number of locals in work.
“The Ministry of Manpower stopped dealing with 199 establishments in the private sector as a result of its non-commitment to employ the national manpower. The ministry indicated that the establishments that have stopped dealing with them have an imported labor force of more than 50 workers with the first and excellent grades and the global company does not employ any citizen,” the ministry’s statement read.
“The suspension includes the failure to provide any service, including the issuance of new work permits and the issuance and renewal of work cards,” it added.
The move comes as Oman made an announcement last month temporarily banning the issue of residency visas for expats working in 87 job roles, in 10 different areas of employment, in the ongoing Omanization project aimed at tackling unemployment among its citizens.