MUSCAT – Oman’s Minister of Labour Dr Mahad bin Saeed Baouin issued a decision that mandates the practice of a number of activities in private sector establishments to Omanis.
Per the decision, activities related to financial and administrative professions in insurance companies and those engaged in the insurance of brokerage activities, consumer-related activities in malls such as selling, accounting, money exchange, management and arranging goods in merchandise stores, are restricted to Omanis. Similarly in the vehicle sales industry, activities such as accounts, auditing, sale of new and used vehicles as well as sale of spare parts for new vehicles by agencies are earmarked for Omani nationals.
The ruling also states in its article that the expatriate or the non-Omani workforce who are employed with proper recruitment licenses and work permits in the aforementioned professions and activities are permitted to continue until the expiry date of their permit or license.
Any law that contradict this decision or its provisions shall be repealed. This decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall be enforced after six months from the date of its publication.
The Labour Minister also issued another decision that reserves the profession of driving vehicles of any type, for Omanis. Transportation of fuel, transportation of agricultural materials and transportation of foodstuffs, shall be undertaken only by Omani drivers. The ruling permits the recruitment of a non-Omani for transport of agricultural materials or foodstuff, as a distributor of goods, for small and medium enterprises owned by Omani employers.
Such a staff should be employed full-time to manage the SME that has been registered with the Authority of Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Riyada), and insured at the Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI). Other conditions being the vehicle should be a commercial one and registered in the name of the institution.
