Oman’s population drops for the first time in 10 years

Dubai: Oman’s population declined by 3 per cent in 2020, for the first time in 10 years, according to the data issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The NCSI said that the Sultanate’s population as of Sunday, September 12 stands at 4,411,756 people. As many as 63 per cent of the total population are Omanis, while expatriates constitute 37 per cent.

Bangladesh nationals continue to lead the number with 528,682, followed by Indians with 465,037 and the Pakistan nationals are in the third position with 179,408.

The NCSI figures revealed that more than 215,000 expat workers have left Oman between March 2020 and March 2021.

Expats employed in the government sector accordingly fell from 53,332 to 49,898, while in the private sector, expat worker figures dropped from 1,608,781, to 1,403,287.

According to experts, the decline in the country’s population is attributed to many reasons, including the government’s efforts to increase Omanisation rate in public and private sectors and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led many companies terminate the services of both Omanis and expats.

Following the recent dismissal of some Omani citizens from a number of private sector companies, the Ministry of Labour on Thursday confirmed that it is closely following the cases.

In a statement, the ministry said it is working to find solutions and is in constant contact with the concerned parties to find a solution in a way that achieves job stability and security for the national workforce.