Oman-based companies will have to secure the Ministry of Manpower’s go ahead before they can hire expats, local daily Times of Oman reported this week.
A new traffic light-themed online system is currently being rolled out in Oman, in which companies’ Omanization quotas are being monitored.
Under this new system, companies that meet Omanization standards set by the government will receive a green signal online, allowing them to proceed with hiring expat employees.
Companies with unclear Omanization policies will be given a yellow signal, while companies that fall short of meeting their quotas will receive a red signal, barring them from moving forward with hiring expat employees.
“The new system focuses on enhancing Omanization rates in the private establishments,” said a ministry spokesperson.
The step taken by the government is part of the Omanization drive to recruit more of its citizens in private companies, a similar push is underway across the GCC where countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have also been trying to increase the number of nationals in private sector employment.
Earlier this year, expat workers in the country faced a six-month visa ban across 87 industries, including media, engineering, marketing and sales, accounting and finance, IT, insurance, technicians, administration and HR.
