Oman unveils 2025 labour plan to create 45,000 jobs, boost digital governance

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Labour has unveiled its operational plan for 2025, targeting the creation of 45,000 job opportunities across various sectors.

The initiative includes 11,000 training and qualification slots for job seekers, 10,000 government sector jobs, and 24,000 openings in the private sector.

Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba’awin, Minister of Labour, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to employment-linked training, on-the-job programmes and wage support.

These efforts will extend to small and medium enterprises with Riyada cards, large corporations, start-ups, freelance work, and temporary government contracts. Compliance with the Ministry’s training-linked employment programme currently stands at over 82 per cent.

The minister highlighted that Oman surpassed its 2024 employment goal, securing jobs for 36,615 individuals — exceeding the initial 35,000 target. By the end of last year, 17,215 individuals benefited from the job security scheme, including 11,758 men.

As part of efforts to improve government efficiency, the "Individual Excellence" system has been introduced in 67 government entities, featuring 45 new tools for enhancing job performance and institutional evaluation. Departments will be assessed based on operational speed, leadership quality, and employee satisfaction.

The National Employment Programme continues to align education with market demands, contributing to the localisation of 2,800 leadership and mid-level roles in industrial estates, in partnership with Madayn. Several digital initiatives have been launched to streamline employment processes, including:

Employment governance committees in 17 key economic sectors are working towards qualitative localisation, with plans to expand opportunities in fields like IT and industrial maintenance.

Oman is also rolling out a comprehensive package to support freelancers, covering financing, training, social protection, and consulting. The Ministry has announced funding for the pilot phase of the "Smart Management" project, developed with private sector collaboration, to integrate AI-driven solutions in human resources management.

Additionally, a "Waiting List" initiative is set to streamline employment through smart digital systems. The Minister emphasised Oman’s commitment to global best practices in digital transformation, aiming to enhance government efficiency and workforce integration.

-- With inputs from Oman News Agency.

Fahad Al Mukrashi is a freelance journalist based in Muscat