Dubai: The number of Indian expats living in Oman dropped significantly by the end of October 2020, local media reported.
According to a data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the numbers dropped below 500,000 for the first time where there are now 492,276 Indians living in Oman.
“During the pandemic since May, many Indians have made use of the repatriation efforts to return home,” said an official.
Bangladesh nationals continue to be the largest expat community in the country with a total of 546,681 workers and their dependents compared to 565,011 in August. Expats from Pakistan numbered 179,375 and Filipinos are ranked fourth with 44,295 workers and dependents in Oman.
Meanwhile, the total number of expatriates working in the Sultanate dropped by 17 per cent by the end of October 2020. According to NCSI, the total expat population in the country stands at 1,435,070 compared to 1,712,798 last year.
With the government introducing the exit scheme, expatriates with expired documents can leave the country before December 31. According to the figures released by the Ministry of Labour, more than 7,000 expats have registered for the scheme. “This will further see a dip in expat population in the country,” the official added.