Oman work visa: work permit, employment visa and residence card

ROP grants the employment visa at the request and under the responsibility of an employer to a foreigner aged at least 21 who holds a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour. Employers can be companies, individuals or government bodies; domestic workers have their own subtypes.

Omanisation rules apply: the Ministry of Labour checks whether the employer meets the required share of Omani staff for its sector, and some professions in health, education and similar fields need approval from the competent authority before a permit is issued.

The Ministry of Labour charges for the work permit by occupation category under Ministerial Decision 340/2016 and its amendments: OMR 301 for the first category, OMR 251 for the second and OMR 201 for the third. ROP lists OMR 20 for the employment visa with a commercial or individual sponsor; some government-sponsored subtypes carry no ROP fee.

After arrival, the first residence card costs OMR 6 for one year or OMR 11 for two years, with a penalty of OMR 10 for each month of delay. Late renewal or non-registration of the residence permit is fined OMR 20 per month.

The employer logs in to the Ministry of Labour e-services portal (or uses a Sanad service office), selects the commercial work permit service and enters the workplace, activity, number of workers and occupations. It uploads documents such as the municipal licence, lease and, depending on the occupation, qualifications and professional approvals. A ministry officer reviews the request, which the ministry says takes one to two weeks, and the fee is paid online after approval.

With the preliminary work permit approval printed, the employer applies to ROP for the employment visa on the eVisa portal. ROP asks for the worker's photo and passport copy, the original labour permit and, for certain nationalities, a medical fitness certificate endorsed by the Omani Ministry of Health.

Every expatriate resident must obtain a residence card within 30 days of entering Oman. The application is made in person with the original passport, the Ministry of Labour form completed after the medical examination and, for government employees, a letter from the employer.

The residence is valid for two years and can be renewed every two years. ROP cancels a residence visa if the holder stays outside Oman for more than six months.

A worker who leaves Oman and wants to return under a new sponsor before the first visa expires must bring a no-objection certificate from the first sponsor, according to ROP. Inside Oman, transfers between employers are handled through the Ministry of Labour's services.

For temporary jobs, ROP issues a Short Work Visa of four, six, nine or twelve months for OMR 20. It also requires a sponsor with a licence to bring in workers and a worker aged at least 21.