Oman: 207 jobs no longer available to expats

Oman issued a decision to ban the non-Omani workforce from practicing 207 professions, as part of the country’s plans to localize many jobs. 

Under the new ministerial decision, the following professions are prohibited for non-Omani workers: 

Administrative Director, Personnel Director, Public Relations Director, Human Resources Director, Director of External Relations and Communications, CEO Office Manager, Recruitment Director, Administrative Control Director, Follow-up Manager, Security Supervisor, Training Director, Student Affairs Director, Admissions and Registration Manager, Training Supervisor, Career Guidance Director, Library Manager, Dormitory Supervisor, Director Filling Station, Higher Education Quality Control Director, Deputy Director General, Deputy Director, Assistant Director General, Department Head, Head of Union Affairs, Assistant Head of Department, Management Information Systems (MIS) Specialist, Chemical Engineer/Oil Refining, Psychology/Social Specialist, Sociologist/General, Social Work Specialist, Social Welfare Specialist, Social Counsellor, General Social Specialist, Student Activities Specialist, Legal Clerk, Librarian, Payroll Accountant, General Insurance Specialist, Restitution Specialist Insurance, Risk Insurance specialist, Business Administration Specialist and HR Specialist.

The professions in which expatriates are also prohibited from practicing include Public Relations Specialist, Personnel Affairs Specialist, Resource Planning and Distribution Specialist, Administrative Affairs Specialist, Administrative Observer, Recruitment Specialist, Systems Analysis Technician, Subscriber Services System Supervisor, Workshop Supervisor, Occupational Safety Inspector/Oil and Gas, Occupational Safety/Environmental Hazards Inspector, and Air Relay and Social Research Technician.

The list also includes Assistant Trainer, Bidding Writer, Purchasing Writer, Treasurer, Executive Coordinator, Meetings Rapporteur, Administrative Coordinator, Head of the Field Team, Reduction Technician, Library Supervisor, Data Entry Supervisor, File Supervisor, Human Resources Technician, Senior Officer / Licensing, Certification, Planning, Contract Organizer and Personnel Supervisor.

Customs Clearing Agent, Warehouse Supervisor, Lawyer Clerk, Administrative/General Clerk, Incoming and Outgoing Clerk, Coordinator, Follower Clerk, File Clerk, Correspondence Writer, Data Entry, Transaction Clearer, General Typist, Duplicating Machine Operator, Duplicator, Student Affairs Registration Clerk, Land and Real Estate Registration Clerk, Documents Certification Clerk, Library Clerk, Resource Center Supervisor Learning, Data Audit Clerk, Social Service Technical Assistant, Book Catalog/Classification Clerk, Employment Clerk, Personnel Clerk, Time Clerk, Flight Operations Inspector.

In May 2021, Oman’s Minister of Labor announced that the country intends to provide at least 32,000 job opportunities in the public and private sectors during 2022.