Guide · Oman
Omanisation requires a minimum share of Omani nationals and closes specific professions to expatriates: 207 under Decision 235/2022, with more added by Decision 501/2024 in phases up to 1 January 2027. Here is what is closed, what changes next, and which trades employers can still recruit from abroad.
How Omanisation works
Oman does not cap the share of foreigners in your workforce. It requires a minimum share of Omani nationals by sector and closes specific professions to expatriates altogether.
Official sector percentages for 2026 were not found in primary sources; figures circulating online without a reference to a decision should be treated with caution. The restricted professions, by contrast, are set by ministerial decisions with fixed dates.
Decision 235/2022
In force since July 2022. Expatriates already working in these roles may continue until their current permit expires; no new permits are issued.
| Group | Examples reported |
|---|---|
| Management and HR | Administrative director, HR and personnel director, public relations director, general manager and deputy, recruitment specialist |
| Sales and retail | Receptionist, grocer, sweet seller, perfume seller, gas cylinder seller |
| Security and transport | Guards, bus drivers, public taxi drivers, tractor drivers |
| Finance and insurance | Payroll accountant, insurance and reinsurance specialists, insurance brokers |
| Tourism and social services | Tour guide, travel reservation clerk, social worker and social welfare specialists |
The grouping is ours; the official annex lists professions one by one. Check the full annex in the Official Gazette or with the Ministry of Labour before relying on it.
Decision 501/2024
| From | Professions added (examples) |
|---|---|
| 2 September 2024 | Marketing specialists, sales representatives, commercial brokers, quality control officers, mechanical and electrical technicians, tourist and travel agents, hotel reception managers, lifeguards |
| 1 January 2025 | Systems analysts, network specialists, marine and ship traffic controllers, computer maintenance technicians |
| 1 January 2026 | Computer programmers, computer engineers, computer operators |
| 1 January 2027 | Web designers, operations analysts |
Temporary suspensions
Separately from the closed list, the Ministry suspends new permits for selected trades for fixed periods. Decision 452/2024 suspended permits for six months from 1 September 2024 for trades reported to include general construction worker, building cleaner, loading and unloading worker and bricklayer. We did not find a public extension after it lapsed — but such freezes recur, so we check the current status of each trade before quoting a timeline.
What remains open
Welders, steel fixers, pipe fitters, scaffolders, heavy-equipment operators — not on the published restricted lists we reviewed.
Technician, supervisory and sales roles are largely closed; general-labour trades can be frozen temporarily. We match your job titles to the rules first.
Outdoor work is banned from 12:30 to 15:30 between June and August; fines of RO 500–1,000 per violation are reported. Plan shift patterns accordingly.
FAQ
Oman’s policy of increasing the employment of Omani nationals in the private sector through sector quotas and a list of professions reserved for Omanis.
207 under Decision 235/2022, plus additions under Decision 501/2024 phased in from September 2024 to 1 January 2027. Check the official annex for the full current list.
The last phase of Decision 501/2024: web designer and operations analyst roles close to expatriates.
Skilled site trades such as welders, steel fixers and pipe fitters are not on the published restricted lists we reviewed. Technician and supervisory roles largely are, and some general-labour trades have been under temporary permit freezes. We check each job title before sourcing.
Reports speak of 207 professions after Decision 235/2022, then of 32 more after Decision 501/2024 with phased dates up to 2027. Both are correct: the second decision amends the first. Older articles also mention an 87-profession visa ban from 2018–2020 — that was a temporary, repeatedly extended measure and is no longer the reference.
For employers the practical step is the same: take the exact job titles you plan to fill and check them against the current annex before applying for a labour clearance. We do this as part of every recruitment for employers in Oman.
Send us your positions and timeline — we will come back with pricing, start dates and the legal setup. First shortlist within 48–72 hours.
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