Temporary work permits to employ expats during Khareef

The Ministry of Labor in the Dhofar Governorate has said that employers or businesses will be granted temporary work permits to bring in expatriate workers during the khareef season.

These facilities aim to regulate the labor market and support employers in dealing with the increased demand for services during the Khareef season.

They also aim to avoid violations and penalties for employing illegal expatriate workers, and to support the temporary activities offered by Dhofar Municipality during the Dhofar khareef season.

It may be noted that Khareef season in Dhofar attracted around 1,048,000 visitors between June 21 and September 21, 2024, reflecting a 9 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, when the number of visitors reached 962,000.

The number of Omani visitors increased by 70.1 per cent to 734,588 compared to 676,009 in 2023. Visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries increased by 16.9 per cent to 176,643 from 161,472 in 2023. Meanwhile, visitors from other Arab countries saw a 3.6 per cent rise, reaching 37,790 compared to 35,095 in the previous year.

The statistics revealed that the number of visitors from Asian countries to Dhofar's Khareef season between June 21 and September 21, 2024, increased by 8.3 per cent, to 86,678 from 78,401 in 2023.

Of these, 794,596 visitors arrived via land borders during the Khareef season in 2024, compared to 722,795 in 2023. Meanwhile, 253,155 visitors traveled to Dhofar via air, an increase from 239,401 in the previous year.