Sanad Centres, which were started to boost entrepreneurship among Omanis and spread e-governance, is witnessing growth at a steady clip with the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED) planning to license 70 new outlets and finance 250 establishments in different governorates.
For more than two decades, thousands of Sanad Centres not only helped to process private sector recruitment and avail government services online but also provided jobs for many Omani youths.
Today to apply for a Sanad license and attain the permit it takes one week.
Moosa al Kindi, manager at Al Kindi Sanad Services in Ruwi, has been working in the field for decades and is a pioneer. He has staff who have been with him for many years as well. One of them is Mona al Balushi who arrives at the office by 7 am. She has been working for 20 years at this Sanad Office. She speaks Arabic, English and Hindi and deals with different organizations, individuals both nationals and expatriates.
“I started as a typist and today we help in different areas. We have to deal with many issues. For some it is to do with court, ROP, manpower and for others it is visa applications,” said Mona.
And every client seems to be in a hurry.
She added, “One thing people have to keep in mind when they come to renew their visa is to have their visa number because these days the visa is not stamped on the passport.” Meanwhile one client asked, “Should my sponsor come with me to get the visa done?” Another person asked, “Should I go to Seeb?” She replied in Urdu, “No, you can go to Qurum.” Her job like others in the office is not just filing data but also even providing counseling to the clients.
Sometimes it gets too hectic in the Sanad office. Yasser Abdullatif is from Sudan and is at the Sanad Service to get a trading license. “I have been told that the Sanad Office can complete the procedure in a week’s time or so,” Yasser said.
While there were employers who had come for their staff’s paperwork, there were others who had come for visa renewal.
The Sanad Centers have been providing employment opportunities for Omanis.
Nabil al Zedjali who works at the Sanad said, “At the center it is not the qualifications that matter, it is the skills. And attitude as well because it is also about how quickly can one learn the procedures.” He noted the various services a Sanad Center offers today, “We work with people who have dealings with courts, Royal Oman Police from visa to transfer of cars, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Housing, municipality, VAT and Bayan for instance. Writing skills are also important. We have new comers who have got training and are showing promise. We also do translations in different languages and recently we did so in European languages.” For instance, Muscat Municipality stated in its website that a Sanad Center would be able to assist in the completion of all its online services like building permits. In addition, Sanad also provides services related to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, and Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
Sanad Centres focus on the self-employment of Omanis by providing all necessary services under one roof under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour.
In 2019, Invest Easy announced that requests for license for sales and special offers have to be made through Sanad.
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