3 March 2009
The eight professions where the ban has been lifted include car repair and affiliated works; hair-dressing and beautification; sale of carpets and furniture; sale of readymade garments and textiles; gents and ladies tailoring; carpentry workshops; smithy and
aluminium works.
Announcing the decision to lift the ban, Sayyid Hamad bin Hilal Al Busaidi, the undersecretary for labour affairs, ministry of manpower, said the government decided to grant permission for recruitment of expatriates in these eight professions after
intensive studies.
Last year, the government had banned the employment of expatriates in as many as 15 professions while taking into consideration the need for providing employment to Omanis particularly in the densely populated areas of the Sultanate.
The ban will continue on the other seven professions, including import, export and commercial representation; cleaning works; barbershops; laundry; sale and repair of electronics and sale and repair of mobile phones; and health clubs, said Sayyid Hamad.
“Lifting of the ban is aimed at regulating the labour market as per the actual needs and the recommendations of the third seminar of employment of national manpower,” he added.
The ministry is currently working on a study to determine the actual number of expatriate workers in a number of professions, particularly those currently banned, he said. Some 22,697 expatriates are currently working in the seven professions (the professions for which the ministry has stopped issuing clearances) as per the official data.
In a similar development, the government also announced there are no restrictions for Bangladeshi nationals in any profession from the approved list of work areas.
According to immigration officials, Bangladeshi nationals can come to Oman on all types of visa categories granted to them except on a houseboy visa which has not been included in the list of allowed professions.
