Oman Archives - Page 25 of 33 - LexisNexis Middle East

Oman: Labour Ministry Issues Warning

19/03/202119/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Ministry has issued a warning to all private sector companies to benefit from the facilities offered by the Ministry for companies and expatriate employees. It comes ahead of a 31 March 2021 deadline. All employers and employees who want to leave the country should use the time left to comply. The Ministry added no applications will be considered after this date. Foreign employees will be able to leave before 31 March 2021 and all approvals will be cancelled after this.

News developments

Oman: New Industrial City Proposed

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Public Establishment for Industrial Estates or Madayn has announced it is proposing building a new Industrial City. It will be built at Al Mudhaibi in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate. It will be one of an increasing network of manufacturing clusters which will help boost jobs generation and GDP growth in the Sultanate. They have invited qualified engineering consultancy firms to bid for its contract to design the infrastructure facilities for the 14 million square metre industrial city. It will be the first industrial park of its kind in the governorate and will provide a manufacturing and processing base for industries focused on commercialising the rich mineral potential of the wider region, among other things. The successful bidder will have to master-plan the development of the new industrial city in several stages and design the basic infrastructure and supervise the overall initial development as well. Construction work on a new industrial city at Ibri in Al Dhahirah Governorate, a first in that part of the country is also about to begin. It will be located on the road leading to the Oman-Saudi Arabia border and will include a variety of industrial, commercial and service activities like light and medium industries, commercial area, administrative offices, industrial workshops and warehouses. They are being built and introduced as part of Oman’s 2040 Vision.

News developments

Oman: New Electricity Tariff Will be Applied Gradually

26/02/202126/02/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

The Executive Director of the Authority for Public Services Regulation has announced the new electricity tariff will be applied gradually. They made the announcement in response to rumours it had been rescinded. The January bill includes the approved tariff in line with the regulations published in December. The approved tariff for the first group is 15 baisas, which will be applied gradually over the year starting with 11 baisas in the first month for electricity consumption up to 2,000 kilowatts.The mechanism for the gradual application of the new tariff is the purview of the National Subsidy System Committee.

News developments

Oman: The Director-General of Disease Control and Surveillance announced a unified Coronavirus health passport will be discussed by GCC health officials next week

26/02/202126/02/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

The Director-General of Disease Control and Surveillance in Oman has announced a unified Coronavirus health passport will be discussed by GCC health officials next week. Health officials from the GCC countries will discuss it next week. They will also consider travel and movement between GCC countries. It follows the launch of a digital Covid vaccine passport in Bahrain earlier this month. They became one of the first countries in the world to do so. The green COVID-19 Vaccinated shield will be issued to vaccinated people with a username, date of birth, nationality and which vaccine they received. It will help authorities verify the validity of users by scanning a QR code which is linked to a national vaccine register.

News developments

Oman: The Labour Minister has issued a ministerial decision on the Omanisation of certain professions

19/02/202119/02/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

The Labour Minister has issued a ministerial decision on the Omanisation of certain professions by limiting them to Omani nationals including jobs in the private higher education institutions. The aim is to increase job opportunities for Omani nationals in areas where they are able to be competitive. The decision states that Omani nationals should be appointed in all administrative, financial and other sectors related to admitting and registering students and jobs related to students affairs and services. It was also stressed that the ministry was continuing its search for solutions that boost investment and empowers national manpower.

News developments

Oman: Residence Permits Will Not be Renewed for Drivers From June

12/02/202112/02/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Labour Ministry has announced residency permits for drivers will not be renewed when they expire. The only exception will be where an applicant provides a valid driving license consistent with the type of profession they occupy. It will be implemented from 1 June 2021 together with the Royal Oman Police.

News developments

Oman: GCC Investors Do Not Need Residence Card

05/02/202105/02/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Ministry has confirmed GCC investors do not need a residence card. It follows rumours on social media that GCC citizens need a lease contract and a municipal license to obtain a residence card. The Ministry confirmed GCC citizens are treated the same as Omani citizens. They are working with the Royal Oman Police Directorate-General of Civil Status. The Ministry added they do not ask GCC investors to obtain residence cards to get a commercial registration or facilitate the establishment of a business in the Sultanate.

News developments

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.