Generally, labour-related matters in Oman, including recruitment
and regulation of the expat recruitment process, are governed by
Sultani Decree No. 35/2003 on the Promulgation of the Labour Law
(the "Labour Law"). More recently, following the issuance
of the Ministerial Decision No. 38/2018 by the Minister of Manpower
(the "Ministry of Manpower"), a six-month ban on hiring
expat workers was imposed across 87 positions on 28 January 2018.
This was done to regulate the Oman Labour market, create more job
opportunities for the Omani citizens and integrate them within the
workforce, and reinforce the "Omani First" agenda of the
Government of Oman, which is already evident in the restrictive
provisions provided in the Labour Law.
