Omanisation of several professions from July 20

Muscat: The Ministry of Labour has asked private sector establishments, especially in the North al Batinah Governorate, to implement the decision on Omanisation of some professions from July 20.

Article 1 of the Ministerial decisions 8/2021and 9/2021 states that professions and activities listed below in private sector establishments will be restricted to Omanis.

The ministry asked companies to follow the decisions issued in January this year to localize the administrative and financial professions in insurance companies and companies operating in brokerage activities, selling and accounting in money exchange, management, and arranging goods in operating stores in malls, accounts auditing professions in auto agencies, all professions related to the sale of new and used vehicles, all accounting professions related to selling new and used vehicles in agencies, selling spare parts for new vehicles in auto agencies, professions of driving vehicles - of any kind - such as fuel transportation, transportation of agricultural materials and foodstuffs.

Article 2 states the issuance of non-Omani workforce recruitment licenses and issued work permits for professions and activities specified in Article 1 of this decision will continue until its expiry date.

The Ministry of Labour had earlier reaffirmed that shopping malls and supermarkets will have to adhere to ministerial decision No 8/2021, which stipulates that the practice of some professions in shopping malls and supermarkets will be restricted to Omanis from July 20, 2021.

The following professions in shopping malls and supermarkets will be limited to Omanis — professions in customer service, cashier, currency exchange, administration, and shelf-stackers.

The ministry has urged everyone to adhere to the decision mentioned above to avoid penalties against violators.

Omanisation in large commercial establishments is feasible, and it has been well-received, said the Minister of Manpower recently in an interview.

“Some other countries have also completely nationalized these sectors, and after a study, we found that it is easy to apply in Oman. Even if there is a need for training, there are solutions and we have opened part-time work students in universities and also for housewives’’, Dr. Mahad bin Said bin Ali al Baowain, Minister of Labour.