Expat population in Oman drops to 38.8%

The Omanis constituted 61.2 per cent of the national population compared to 38.8 expatriates as of May 15, 2021.

The expatriates constituted 38.9 per cent at the end of March this year.

The total population of the Sultanate is 4,507,468, including 2,757,983 Omanis and 1,749,485 expatriates.

It may be noted that Oman’s population saw a drop of 2.97 per cent at the end of March this year from a year ago.

The most significant drop was in Muscat (- 8.84 per cent), Dhofar (- 6.85 per cent), and Al Dhahirah (- 3.6 per cent). The governorate of Al Wusta, where Duqm is situated saw a population growth of 1.19 per cent.

Among expatriate nationalities, the Indian population declined by 17.4 per cent to 492,3260 between March 2020 and 2021, followed by Bangladesh expatriates (11 per cent), Pakistanis (8.4), and Filipinos (7 per cent).

The most significant drop has been among expatriate working in clerical positions (35 per cent), administration, directors, and managers (12.1 per cent).

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour has reaffirmed that shopping malls and supermarkets will have to adhere to ministerial decision 8/2021, which stipulates that some professions in shopping malls and supermarkets will be restricted to Omanis July 20, 2021.

The following professions in shopping malls and supermarkets will be limited to Omanis — professionals in customer service, cashier, currency exchange, administration and shelf-stackers.

The ministry has urged everyone to adhere to the decision mentioned above to avoid penalties against violators.

Work permits for the above-mentioned occupations will not be renewed for non-Omani workers after expiry.

Omanisation in large commercial establishments is feasible. It has been well-received, said the Minister of Manpower recently in an interview.

“Some other countries have also completely nationalised these sectors, and after a study, we found that it is easy to apply in Oman. Even if there is a need for training, there are solutions, and we have opened part-time work students in universities and for housewives’’, Dr Mahad bin Said bin Ali Baowain, Minister of Labour.