MUSCAT: Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of the Board of the Social Protection Fund, issued a Decision regarding the applicability of retirement provisions for persons with disabilities.
Published in the Official Gazette (Issue 1611) on Sunday, the decision states that insured individuals entitled to the disability benefit, as per the Executive Regulations of the Social Protection Law, will be covered under the retirement provisions designated for persons with disabilities within the old-age, disability and death insurance branch.
The Social Protection Law previously granted persons with disabilities the right to early retirement without deduction, under two conditions: being at least 10 years younger than the statutory retirement age for old-age pensioners, and completing a minimum of 15 years of actual service while living with a disability. This effectively allows eligible individuals to retire at the age of 50.
According to the new decision, those seeking early retirement must also meet the criteria for the disability benefit. Eligibility includes holding an official disability card issued by the Ministry of Social Development and having a permanent disability. Recognised categories include: Autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, Intellectual disability (IQ score below 70, based on a standardised test), Visual impairment (2/60 vision or less in both eyes, after correction and with assistive devices), Hearing impairment (61 decibels or higher in both ears, after correction and with assistive devices), Severe physical disabilities, as assessed through functional performance evaluations, other disabilities as determined by the Social Protection Council in coordination, with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development.
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