There is no points system. In Oman you need a named sponsor — and your sponsor needs a Ministry of Labour clearance before the Royal Oman Police can stamp your visa.
Overview
Oman operates a sponsorship (kafala) system governed by the Labour Law issued under Royal Decree 53/2023, replacing the previous Royal Decree 35/2003. There is no points-based or expression-of-interest immigration programme. Every foreign worker must have a Omani legal-entity or individual sponsor (kafeel), and the sponsor must first obtain a labour clearance (labour permit) from the Ministry of Labour before the Royal Oman Police can issue the work visa. The ROP categorises visas into five main types: Work Visa, Employment Contracting Visa, Temporary Work Visa, Family Joining Visa and Student Visa. Foreign workers may not generally take up employment with a different employer without a release letter from the original sponsor and Ministry approval. Omanisation quotas — percentage targets for Omani nationals across 2,000+ classified occupations — govern how many expatriate permits each business may hold; non-compliance doubles work permit fees. Ministerial Decision 602/2025 (October 2025) sets current permit fees and Omanisation compliance rules. Verified against rop.gov.om and mol.gov.om as of June 2026.
The Five ROP Visa Categories
| Visa type | Who it is for | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Work Visa (تأشيرة عمل) | Private-sector employees coming on employer sponsorship | Employer must hold a Ministry of Labour labour permit for each named individual |
| Employment Contracting Visa | Workers engaged on a specific contracting project | Tied to a single project; cannot freely transfer to another employer |
| Temporary Work Visa | Short-duration assignments | Non-renewable beyond the agreed temporary period |
| Family Joining Visa | Dependants of a resident foreign worker | Sponsor must meet minimum salary and accommodation requirements set by ROP |
| Student Visa | Enrolled students at recognised Omani institutions | Issued at the request of the educational institution |
The Labour Clearance Process — Two-Step System
- Step 1 — Ministry of Labour clearance: The Omani employer applies to the Ministry of Labour (mol.gov.om) for a labour authorisation for each foreign worker. The clearance specifies the worker's name, nationality, occupation and gender. The occupation on the clearance must match exactly the occupation on the visa application; a mismatch is a refusal ground.
- Step 2 — ROP visa application: With the MoL clearance in hand, the employer submits the work visa application to the Royal Oman Police (rop.gov.om or an authorised service centre). The application must include the employee's passport (valid at least 6 months), photographs, the MoL clearance and — for specified nationalities — an MOH-attested medical certificate.
- Two-year visa: The work visa is valid for 2 years from the date of stamping and is multi-entry.
- Occupation matching requirement: The occupation on the visa must be the same as in the labour permit. For certain professions (engineering, medical, teaching, media, religious roles) additional approvals from the relevant line ministry are also required.
- Previous employer release letter: If the applicant worked in Oman and has not yet completed 2 years since their last departure, a release letter approved by the Directorate General of Passports and Residence is required. Sponsorship transfers also need a MoL-approved release from the prior sponsor.
Omanisation Quotas and the No-Points Rule
- No points system: Oman has no expression-of-interest, skills-assessment queue or points-based immigration programme. Admission is employer-driven and sponsor-bound.
- Omanisation targets: The Ministry of Labour sets minimum percentages of Omani nationals for each business activity sector. These quotas determine how many expatriate work permits each company may legally hold. The TANFEEDH Economic Diversification Programme and Vision 2040 underpin the Omanisation policy.
- Fee incentive/penalty structure: Under Ministerial Decision 602/2025, employers meeting quotas receive a 30% discount on permit fees; non-compliant employers pay double.
- Occupation-restricted sectors: Certain occupations are reserved exclusively for Omani nationals and cannot be held by expatriates at all — the current Omanisation reserved-occupation list is maintained by the Ministry of Labour.
- GCC nationals: Citizens of GCC member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) generally benefit from simplified employment procedures and do not require a work visa in the same manner as non-GCC expatriates.
Employer Obligations Under Labour Law (Royal Decree 53/2023)
- Written employment contracts: Labour Law 53/2023 requires a written employment contract in Arabic (or bilingual) for every employee, specifying wages, hours, job title and start date.
- Wage Protection System (WPS): Employers must pay wages electronically through the WPS within 3 days of the end of the pay period. Ministerial Decision 729/2024 increased compliance thresholds to 75% of workforce from September 2025 wages and 90% from November 2025. Non-compliance carries OMR 50 per-worker fines doubling on repeat violations.
- End-of-service gratuity: Expatriate employees are entitled to end-of-service gratuity based on length of service under the Labour Law — a liability the employer must budget for.
- No recruitment fee shifting: Employers are prohibited from passing visa or work permit costs to workers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oman have a points-based immigration system like Australia or Canada?
No. Oman has no points-based, expression-of-interest or skills-queue system of any kind. The only pathway for a foreign worker is to have a named Omani employer-sponsor who first obtains a Ministry of Labour labour clearance, then applies for a work visa from the Royal Oman Police. Your sponsor is legally responsible for your presence in Oman, and you cannot normally move to a different employer without a release letter and Ministry of Labour approval.
What is the kafala system and how does it work in Oman?
Kafala (Arabic: كفالة — sponsorship) is the legal framework in which a resident foreigner's visa and work authorisation are tied to a specific Omani sponsor (kafeel), which is usually a company but can be an individual. The sponsor must obtain a Ministry of Labour labour clearance specifying the worker's name and occupation before the Royal Oman Police will issue the work visa. You cannot work for a different employer or stay in Oman without your sponsor's active status. If your employment ends, your visa status ends; you must either find a new sponsor (with a release letter and MoL approval) or depart Oman within the permitted grace period.
Can I transfer to a new employer in Oman without leaving the country?
Sponsorship transfers are possible but require two approvals: (1) a release letter from your current employer approved by the Ministry of Labour, and (2) a new labour clearance from the Ministry of Labour for the incoming employer, who must also file a new work visa application with the Royal Oman Police. If you have not completed 2 years since your last departure from Oman, a release letter approved by the Directorate General of Passports and Residence is also required. Any outstanding fines or violations must be cleared before the transfer is processed.
What is an Omanisation quota and how does it affect my employer's ability to hire me?
The Ministry of Labour sets sector-specific minimum percentages of Omani nationals that each employer must maintain. If your employer has already met its Omanisation quota, it can hire additional expatriates at the standard (or discounted) permit fee. If it has not, it may still be able to hire you but will pay double the work permit fee under Ministerial Decision 602/2025. Some occupations are reserved exclusively for Omanis; if your role falls in this list, no expatriate permit will be issued regardless of the employer's willingness.
My occupation is 'engineer' — do I need any additional approval before my work visa is issued?
Yes, two additional steps apply. First, since 1 August 2025, all engineers working in Oman must hold a valid professional classification certificate from the Oman Society of Engineers (OSE), issued by the Sector Skills Unit for Engineering. You must apply through the OSE's electronic system before your employer can lodge the work permit. Second, the Ministry of Labour requires a separate ministry letter for engineering occupations, as listed on the ROP's work visa requirements. Foreign academic qualifications must be verified by DataFlow or QuadraBay before the OSE will accept your application.
How long is an Oman work visa valid, and can it be renewed indefinitely?
A work visa is valid for 2 years from the date of stamping and is multi-entry. It can be renewed by the employer through the Royal Oman Police provided the labour clearance from the Ministry of Labour is also current. There is no fixed overall cap on the number of renewals, but each renewal requires the employer to continue holding a valid labour clearance and the Omanisation compliance requirements must be met. Late renewal incurs a fine of OMR 50 per month.