work visa rules for expats in oman

Not finding the perfect talent is the deepest pain point of every entrepreneur. Whether it’s about seeking employees with appropriate qualifications, the right set of skills, or the required level of experience, local job markets sometime fail to meet a company’s expectations. Looking at this scenario from a different perspective, an individual may not find the perfect job according to his/her qualifications, skills, and experience in the local job market, evoking the need for a tool to access foreign job markets. 

In such a scenario, an Oman work visa comes into the picture to fill the gap between the expectation level and the quality of human resources in the local job markets. If you too are looking forward to getting a work visa to utilize the potential of Oman’s human resources, this article will help you understand the work visa rules for ex-pats in Oman and also help you apply for a visa. 

What is a Work Visa?

A work visa is a legal permit to stay in Oman and involving in an income-generating activity like a job or establishing a business. In other words, if you are a foreign national who is planning to settle in Oman, you need to get a work visa to earn your livelihood in the country. 

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Different Types of Work Visas in Oman

Oman offers different types of work visas based on the requirements of the applicant. Here is the list of these visas. 

• Visit Visa

An Oman visit visa is the most common type of visa that is issued to a foreign traveler. It is mandatory for every international traveler to get a visit visa (if e is not a national of a Gulf country or Oman visa-exempt country). It holds a validity of 6 months and can be obtained for tourism, business, or work. 

• Employment Visa

An employment visa is a type of work visa, which is obtained by the employer for the foreign employees their company has employed (if the employee is more than 21 years of age). The visa is valid for up to 2 years counted from the date of entry in Oman and can be obtained by meeting a specified procedure. 

• Research Visa

As the name suggests, a research visa is applied to visit Oman for scientific research-related activities. It is applied by the concerned institution on behalf of the researcher. 

• Investor Visa

An Oman investor visa allows the holder to invest in the country. It is mandatory to seek approval from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. 

• Family Visa

You can join your family member who is employed in Oman by applying for a family visa. 

Work Visa Rules in Oman

Applying for an Oman work visa comes with a set of rules that you need to abide by. Here are the work visa rules in Oman.

• The only way to engage in employment or income generation-related activities in Oman or any country is by applying for a work visa. In other words, no international visitor shall engage in gainful activities without a valid work visa. 
• If you are planning a residency in Oman, you need to compliment your work visa with a residence visa, otherwise, you won’t be allowed to reside in Oman.
• An applicant must secure a job offer from an Omani organization to apply for a work visa
• If you are an employer, you need to present a valid reason for preferring Omani employees over local employees. 
• Every applicant must get a labor license from the Ministry of Manpower before applying for a work visa. 
• If an applicant decides to change his job or gets terminated, he must leave Oman immediately for a minimum of 2 years, until a No Objection Certificate.  

Documents to be Submitted for an Oman Work Visa

Here is the list of documents that you must submit to obtain an Omani work visa.

1. Job positions that you’re planning to fill with Omani citizens
2. A complete list of desired Omani employees, including designation awarded and their genders
3. Copies of passports of the foreign employees that you are hiring
4. Certificates and qualifications
5. Attestation from the Oman Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
6. Labor license from the Ministry of Manpower photocopy
7. Job offer letter
8. A medical declaration
9. 2 recent passport-size photos 

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How to Apply for a Work Visa

You can get a visa by simply contacting Omani E-Visa. You can reach out to us through the mail, live chat, or simply call us and explain to us the type of work visa you are planning to apply for. Our team members are experts in their fields and know how to get a visa in surprisingly less time. We have allotted more than 500k visas on this short journey and we’ll be extremely grateful to be part of your Oman visa process. 

The Wrap Up

We hope that now you know how the rules and formalities are related to an Oman work visa. We wish you the best for your Oman trip!

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