Oman: MoL issues decision on work permits, work practice permits

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The Minister of Labor has issued a resolution 602/2025 regulating work permits and work practice permits.

A work permit is the written approval issued by the Ministry of Labour to the employer to bring in expatriate workers to work in a specific profession.

A work practice permit is a written approval issued by the Ministry for a worker to practice work in a specific profession.

The validity period of the work permit shall be 24 months, non-renewable, and the work practice permit shall be for a period not exceeding 24 months, and renewable.

A work permit may be issued for a period of less than 24 months in the event of a request for a temporary work permit.

The profession specified in the work permit and the work practice permit may be changed from a lower category to a higher category, provided that the Ministry’s approval is obtained and the difference in fees between the two categories is paid.

The fees for work permits and work practice permits to bring in a non-Omani worker for clubs, civil society institutions, mosques, and churches will be RO101.

The fees shall be reduced by a rate of 30 percent if the employer adheres to the prescribed Omanization rates, and shall be doubled if he does not adhere to those rates.

The provisions shall not apply to the fees for work permits and work practice permits for the category of investor professions.

Payment of the fees stipulated in these regulations shall be made after the Ministry approves the application to issue a work permit, or the application to issue or renew a work practice permit.

A late payment fine of RO10 shall be imposed on the employer for each month in which he is late in renewing the work permit or registering the worker’s data, provided that the fine amount does not exceed RO500 for each worker. The period of delay shall be calculated from the date of the worker’s arrival, or from the date of expiry of the permit, as the case may be.

The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers involved in the violation.

A late fee of RO15 shall be imposed on the employer if he is a natural person, and RO20 if he is a legal person, for every month in which he delays correcting the worker’s status, from the date of expiry of the license until the date of correcting the worker’s status, by his departure, transfer of his services, registration of a notice of abandonment of work against him, registration of his death, or changing his visa.

In all cases, the fine amount may not exceed RO500 for each worker.

The employer shall not be obligated to pay the fees and late payment fines stipulated in these regulations in the following cases:

The worker, after the end of the employment contract, files a labor complaint to claim his entitlements, from the date of filing the complaint until a final ruling is issued in it.

The death of the worker, or the change of his visa, or his departure from the Sultanate of Oman, or the expiration of his visa after he departs from it, from the date of the worker’s death, or the change of his visa, or his final departure from the Sultanate of Oman, or his departure from it and the expiration of his visa while he is outside the Sultanate of Oman, provided that the residence permit is cancelled by the Royal Oman Police.

In the following cases, the employer may recover the work permit fees or the work practice permit fees or request the issuance of a new license for the worker, provided that the fee is RO1 for each non-Omani worker:

The worker did not pass the medical examination.

The Royal Oman Police does not approve the issuance of a work visa or renewal of a resident card for any reason, provided that proof of this is provided.

The death of the worker within 90 days from the date of his arrival in the Sultanate of Oman, or from the date of renewal of his work permit, or transfer of his services.

Returning the worker to his country within 90 days from the date of his arrival at the employer.

Transferring the worker’s services within 90 days from the date of his arrival at the employer.

Death of the employer, owner of a sole proprietorship, or sole authorized partner in the establishment, without benefiting from the license.

Cancellation or suspension of the work permit or business license by the Ministry due to an administrative error or technical failure.

The employer is exempted from paying the late fees stipulated in these regulations in the following cases:

The death of the employer if he is a natural person, or the death of the owner of a one-person company or the sole authorized partner if the employer is a legal person, until the procedures for transferring the worker’s services to others are completed, or until his services are terminated and he leaves the country, or until the worker’s situation is corrected, provided that the exemption period does not exceed one year from the date of death.

If the medical examination of the worker upon his arrival in the Sultanate of Oman or upon renewal of his work permit reveals that he is ill and his treatment requires a period of more than 30 days, provided that proof of this is submitted from the Ministry of Health.

Withholding the worker’s passport at a government agency, or at the embassy of the country of which he holds citizenship, for any reason, provided that proof of this is provided, and that the exemption from the fine is limited to the period during which the passport is withheld.

Issuance of a final judgment declaring the bankruptcy of the establishment.

Registering the liquidation request of the establishment with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP), from the date of registering the liquidation request until one year has passed from that date.

Issuance of a judicial ruling to imprison the worker. The exemption shall be from the date the worker enters prison until his release.

The following categories are exempt from paying the fees when recruiting: a domestic worker, a nanny, a private driver, a private nurse, or a home health assistant.

Persons with disabilities, provided that they submit a disability card issued by the competent authority.

Any person whose health condition requires special care, provided that proof of this is provided based on social research conducted by the Ministry of Social Development.

An elderly person who is unable to care for himself, provided that proof of this is provided, based on social research conducted by the Ministry of Social Development.

Those entitled to family income benefits, provided that proof of this is provided by the Social Protection Fund.

In all cases, the exemption of the aforementioned categories from paying the fees shall be for one worker only, and if necessity requires bringing in a second worker, the Ministry may exempt from these fees, provided that proof of this is provided based on the social research conducted by the Ministry of Social Development.

Work practice permit fees

RO301 for issuing a permit or renewing a permit and registering worker data for first-class professions whose classification is approved by the Ministry of Labor.

RO251 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit, and registering worker data for second-class professions whose classification is approved by the Ministry of Labor.

RO201 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit, and registering worker data for third-class professions whose classification is approved by the Ministry of Labor.

RO301 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit, and registering data for investor-class occupations

RO101 for Issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit and registering worker data for a domestic worker, nanny, private driver, gardener, home health aide, or private nurse. (Up to 3 workers).

RO141 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit and registering worker data for a domestic worker, nanny, private driver, gardener, home health aide, or private nurse (4 workers or more).

RO141 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit and registering worker data for agricultural workers, camel breeders, horse grooms, livestock breeders, residential building workers, and other professions specified by the Ministry (up to three workers).

RO241 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit and registering worker data for agricultural workers, camel breeders, horse grooms, livestock breeders, residential building workers, and other professions specified by the Ministry (up to 4 four workers or more for each profession)

RO201 for issuing a work permit or issuing and renewing a work permit, and registering the worker’s data to work as a sailor, ship mechanic/general, or ship electrician/general.