In today's competitive global job market, having the right qualifications is essential for career advancement. However, simply holding a diploma or certificate is often insufficient, particularly when seeking opportunities abroad.
Certificate authentication — the process of verifying the legitimacy of your academic and professional credentials — plays a vital role in ensuring that your qualifications are recognised and valued internationally.
Many countries enforce strict regulations regarding the recognition of foreign qualifications. In certain cases, such as for healthcare professionals, engineers, and teachers, certificate authentication is a mandatory legal requirement for obtaining a work visa or professional license.
The Sultanate of Oman is one country that has tightened pre-entry requirements for foreign workers under its professional accreditation system, requiring them to verify their academic and professional qualifications before entering.
The move is expected to address the growing problem of falsified credentials and improve the calibre of professional foreign workers in the country, while also warning of strict penalties for forged certificates.
“The measures are aimed at regulating the labour market, curbing credential fraud, and raising workforce quality across key sectors,” local media quoted Zaher bin Abdullah al Sheikh, Director of the Department of Professional Standards at the Ministry of Labour.
Under the new system, expatriate workers seeking employment in regulated professions — including engineering, logistics, and accounting — must have their qualifications assessed and approved by accredited sectoral skills units before arrival. A work practice license is issued only after verification, and entry permits are granted solely once the license has been approved.
Accordingly, work permits will only be granted to individuals who fulfil the nation's professional requirements. This significant measure demonstrates the nation’s dedication and commitment to enhancing transparency and reducing fraud, ensuring that only genuinely qualified professionals contribute to the country's workforce.
The move follows the detection of cases involving the forgery of professional classification certificates and work practice licenses. “This is a clear violation of Omani law. Both employers and workers are responsible for obtaining licenses exclusively from authorised bodies and for verifying their authenticity,” the ministry said.
There is zero tolerance for fraud under the new regulations. The Omani government has made it clear: if you are caught with fake documents, you will face serious consequences. Foreign workers using forged qualifications risk deportation, heavy fines, or even prosecution.
It is not only the workers who are affected — employers who knowingly hire individuals with fake credentials face the same severe penalties, including fines, legal action, and potential loss of their business licenses.
The new regulations are seen as part of a broader initiative to increase citizen participation in the workforce. By tightening restrictions on foreign workers, the government is emphasising that Omanis have priority when it comes to employment opportunities.
Having said that, they are not shutting out skilled foreigners — these individuals still have a place, especially when there are not enough locals for certain roles. The real goal is to rely less on foreign labour and develop a workforce that can sustain itself in the long run.
Foreign workers remain crucial to the Omani economy, without a doubt. However, the country aims to increase the number of Omanis securing these jobs. These changes are intended to create a fairer labour market, providing more opportunities for locals while allowing foreign professionals to fill roles where their expertise is genuinely required.
The new entry rules require you to have your qualifications verified and approved before you even consider applying for a job in Oman. While this may slow the process down slightly, it ultimately ensures that only the most qualified candidates are admitted.
Samuel Kutty
The writer is a freelance journalist and author who worked in Oman and India
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