Employers can’t keep workers’ passports

Kabeer Yousuf -

Muscat, Jan 30 -

The Ministry of Manpower has said that employers should return the passports to its foreign employees as keeping them is “against the basic statute” of Sultanate of Oman’s Labour Law.

A key official at the ministry told the Observer that passports are a “personal document of an individual” that proves his/her nationality; it should be in his/her possession.

“Passport of an individual is his legal document; it should be in his possession,” he said.

A circular issued by the ministry in 2006 says keeping the legal nationality document of any foreign worker is illegal, and it should be returned to the owner.

However, the only exemption is that the workers’ passports can be held by the company with the consent of the employee for various reasons.

“When an employee feels his passport will not be safe in his hands or if he thinks the renewal dates of documents can be closely followed up if it remains with the organisation, he can request the company to keep the document in safe custody,” he added.

The Sultanate has on several occasions clearly said no company has the authority to keep the passport of an employee without his own free will.