27 February 2007
MUSCAT -- Sayyid Hamed bin Hilal al Busaidy, Under-Secretary for Labour, Ministry of Manpower, outlined new guidelines for the regulation of information/data concerning the workforce, and with regard to outstanding fees and fines incurred by individuals and organisations, at a specially-held press conference at the minister's office yesterday. Fees and fines relating to labourers working in the private sector, as well as those working under the sponsorship of individuals were detailed by the under-secretary and Mohammed bin Nasser al Shreiqi, Director-General, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industy (OCCI).
Sayyid Hamed said: "In implementation of the third forum on national workforce employment, the recommendations are concerned with regulating the labour market for creating an integrated database for the workforce. There are provisions of incentives for organisations and individuals for their full co-operation with respective government authorities, so as to update/correct data and for the payment of amounts due in terms of fees and, or, fines." In this regard, a committee was formed comprising representatives from the Ministries of Finance, National Economy, Commerce, Industry and Manpower and the Royal Oman Police (ROP). This committee has been charged with verifying and rectifying all data on expatriate labour in ministerial records.
The task has already been fulfilled with findings showing large amounts of overdue and pending payments emanating from establishments and individuals. Non-payment of outstanding fees is mainly due to non-renewal of labour cards. All of this has been coordinated in the context of a partnership between private and public sectors represented by the OCCI. On this basis, processes and procedures have been planned and are to be put in place.
The following measures have been decided:
All fees and fines for the period ending 1993 will be cancelled.
Half of the fees and all of the fines from 1994 to 2001 will be cancelled. Establishments and individuals will be obliged to pay half of the fees and all of the fines incurred during this period.
All fines for 2003 and 2004 will be cancelled. Establishments and individuals are to pay full fees for this timeframe. To facilitate implementation of outstanding payments the following measures will be undertaken:
Establishments and individuals will be given a four-month grace period to contact the Ministry of Manpower, so as to give correct information about their workers -- regarding the number of employees, job titles, qualifications and payment of amounts due to the government. Transactions concerning amendments in data and payment of overdue amounts will commence from Saturday, March 3. With regard to workers in employment as per the Ministry of Manpower database, and for those who have left employment as per sponsors' record, where there is no evidence of such they will be considered departed workers, once an admission of this has been submitted by the employer.
Establishments and individuals are required to bear the legal consequences of any incorrect data supplied by them. The Ministry of Manpower will take necessary legal action to collect corresponding outstanding amounts once specified periods for payments have expired. The Ministry of manpower hopes that these steps will encourage establishments to correct their data, as well as help establish a comprehensive and accurate database on expatriate labour that will help regulate Oman's labour market. Companies and individuals are encouraged to rectify the status and position of their workers under these new guidelines.
MUSCAT -- Sayyid Hamed bin Hilal al Busaidy, Under-Secretary for Labour, Ministry of Manpower, outlined new guidelines for the regulation of information/data concerning the workforce, and with regard to outstanding fees and fines incurred by individuals and organisations, at a specially-held press conference at the minister's office yesterday. Fees and fines relating to labourers working in the private sector, as well as those working under the sponsorship of individuals were detailed by the under-secretary and Mohammed bin Nasser al Shreiqi, Director-General, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industy (OCCI).
Sayyid Hamed said: "In implementation of the third forum on national workforce employment, the recommendations are concerned with regulating the labour market for creating an integrated database for the workforce. There are provisions of incentives for organisations and individuals for their full co-operation with respective government authorities, so as to update/correct data and for the payment of amounts due in terms of fees and, or, fines." In this regard, a committee was formed comprising representatives from the Ministries of Finance, National Economy, Commerce, Industry and Manpower and the Royal Oman Police (ROP). This committee has been charged with verifying and rectifying all data on expatriate labour in ministerial records.
The task has already been fulfilled with findings showing large amounts of overdue and pending payments emanating from establishments and individuals. Non-payment of outstanding fees is mainly due to non-renewal of labour cards. All of this has been coordinated in the context of a partnership between private and public sectors represented by the OCCI. On this basis, processes and procedures have been planned and are to be put in place.
The following measures have been decided:
All fees and fines for the period ending 1993 will be cancelled.
Half of the fees and all of the fines from 1994 to 2001 will be cancelled. Establishments and individuals will be obliged to pay half of the fees and all of the fines incurred during this period.
All fines for 2003 and 2004 will be cancelled. Establishments and individuals are to pay full fees for this timeframe. To facilitate implementation of outstanding payments the following measures will be undertaken:
Establishments and individuals will be given a four-month grace period to contact the Ministry of Manpower, so as to give correct information about their workers -- regarding the number of employees, job titles, qualifications and payment of amounts due to the government. Transactions concerning amendments in data and payment of overdue amounts will commence from Saturday, March 3. With regard to workers in employment as per the Ministry of Manpower database, and for those who have left employment as per sponsors' record, where there is no evidence of such they will be considered departed workers, once an admission of this has been submitted by the employer.
Establishments and individuals are required to bear the legal consequences of any incorrect data supplied by them. The Ministry of Manpower will take necessary legal action to collect corresponding outstanding amounts once specified periods for payments have expired. The Ministry of manpower hopes that these steps will encourage establishments to correct their data, as well as help establish a comprehensive and accurate database on expatriate labour that will help regulate Oman's labour market. Companies and individuals are encouraged to rectify the status and position of their workers under these new guidelines.
By Ali Ahmed al Riyami
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
