Oman Archives - Page 25 of 32 - LexisNexis Middle East

Oman: Citizens Will Not Have to Pay for Healthcare Services

29/01/202129/01/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Health Minister has confirmed citizens will not have to pay for healthcare services. They added the right to healthcare is guaranteed for all citizens. They went on to say there are no plans to start charging citizens for healthcare services. Finally, they said a health insurance proposal has been referred to the Council of Ministers and the Capital Market Authority will be responsible for implementing it.

News developments

Oman: Additional Omanisation Rules for Occupational Health and Safety Supervisors Announced

22/01/202122/01/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Ministry has announced additional Omanisation rules for occupational health and safety supervisors. Under these, owners of entities which employ at least 50 employees must appoint an Omani occupational safety and health supervisor. These supervisors must be trained and qualified by the facility for this work which includes preparing an appropriate occupational safety and health plan for the entity. They will also have to work with specialists on health and safety training programmes for employees and periodically inspect all the entity’s workplaces and employee accommodation. Other tasks will include carrying out inspections and investigations when there are serious accidents and work injuries at the entity.

News developments

Oman: Labour Minister has announced they have issued Oman Decision No. 7/2021 related to the Omanisation of new professions

15/01/202115/01/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Minister has announced they have issued Oman Decision No. 7/2021 related to the Omanisation of new professions. The Decision was issued in line with Oman Sultani Decree No. 25/2008 (the Sultanate’s Labour Law) and Oman Sultani Decree No, 9/2020 establishing the Labour Ministry. The 2020 Sultani Decree also defines its functions and approves its organisational structure. Article 1 of Oman Decision No. 7/2021 states fuel station manager positions and professions related to the activities and business of optics and the sale of glasses will be restricted to Omani nationals. Recruitment licenses and work permits which have already been issued for these professions will be valid until they expire.

News developments

Oman: Expatriate Exit Scheme Extended

09/01/202109/01/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Ministry has announced the expatriate exit scheme has been extended. Under the scheme, employers of expatriate employees who want to leave Oman permanently will be exempt from all fees and fines. The scheme has been extended to 31 March following directives from the Sultanate’s Supreme Anti-Coronavirus Committee.

News developments

Oman: Insurance Investment Regulatory Guidelines Issued

18/12/202018/12/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Capital Market Authority has announced it has issued insurance investment regulatory guidelines. They will regulate investments of insurance companies and Takaful insurance in the Sultanate. They give insurance firms greater flexibility in making investments to support their corporate growth objectives, while maintaining adequate reserves and liquidity to handle claims from policyholders. In terms of Takaful insurers, Takaful companies will have to comply with legal provisions like deeds and Islamic investment funds according to the specified percentages and terms regardless of whether they are investing in or outside the Sultanate. The regulations impose limits on investments in schemes like deposit, commercial and Government bonds and the public joint stock companies’ shares, investment funds and companies which are not listed on the stock exchange as well as real estate. When drafting the guidelines, the Authority considered investment trends, market volatility issues, international developments in the sector among other things. It is part of efforts by the Authority to support the development of the Omani insurance market and enable insurance firms to diversify their investments.

News developments

Oman: Decision No. 8/2020 On the Issuance of the Arbitration Rules of Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre

10/12/202010/12/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

The Chairman of Oman’s Commercial Arbitration Centre has issued Oman Decision No. 8/2020 implementing the Centre’s rules. The centre itself was established under Oman Sultani Decree No. 26/2018 and Oman Decision No. 37/2019 was issued to approve its workflow and Board. The rules will come into force, the day after the Decision is published in the Official Gazette.

News developments

Oman: Extension to Reconcile Non-Omani Employees Situations Announced

04/12/202004/12/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Minister has announced they have issued Oman Ministerial Decision No. 232/2020 on Omanisation and Professions and Visas of Foreign Workers. It gives employers between 6 December 2020 and 6 January 2021 to reconcile the situations of their non-Omani employees. The extension has been given to particular situations including, non-Omani employees who need to transfer to another profession because their current profession has been given to an Omani national and need to amend their details accordingly. Other illegible transfers of non-Omani employees include the transfer from a suspended profession to another and the transfer from a lower profession to a higher one or vice versa. The Decision also allows employers to amend the wages of non-Omani employees in line with the approved employment contract.

News developments

Oman: Courts Experts Regulatory Charter Amended

27/11/202027/11/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Justice and Legal Affairs Minister has issued Oman Ministerial Decision No. 18/2020 amending the regulatory charter for the court’s experts. The amendments replace Articles 28, 42 and 46. Under the amendments, a committee for experts affairs will be established. It will be chaired by the Undersecretary of the Ministry and the general director of justice affairs, chairman of the public department for courts and the manager of the experts affairs department will be members. Experts who want to have their names registered in the experts lists will have to submit a request to the department and they will present the application to the experts affairs committee.

News developments

Oman: Central Council for Administrative Accountability Established

20/11/202020/11/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Minister has issued Oman Ministerial Decision No. 301/2020. Under this Decision, a central council for administrative accountability will be established. The Decision also specifies the remit of its work and has been issued in line with Oman Sultani Decree No. 120/2004 and Oman Sultani Decree No. 89/2020. These Decisions specify the competences of the Labour Ministry and approve its structure. It has also been issued in line with Oman Decision No. 3/2017 on forming the central council for administrative accountability. Under the Decision, the council will consist of the Undersecretary of the Justice and Legal Affairs Ministry who will be the Chairman and the Undersecretary of the Labour Ministry for HR Development and the Undersecretary of the Transport, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Ministry.

News developments

Oman: International Agreements Portal Launched

13/11/202013/11/2020
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Justice and Legal Affairs Ministry has announced it has launched an Oman Portal for International Agreements or Duwaly. It will provide agreements in Arabic and English. It is part of the Omani Government’s digital transformation plans and will make information about international agreements and treaties which have been signed by the Sultanate or which the Sultanate became party to under Sultani Decrees available. It includes around 600 treaties and includes information on the ratification and accession dates.