Expatriates in white collar jobs drop

MUSCAT, Jan 22 - Even as the number of expatriates in white collar jobs has seen a sharp fall, the ban on hiring workers to different occupations may be extended for another six months.
According to a senior official at the Ministry of Manpower, a decision in this regard is necessary to suit the job market requirements.
“With the existing six-month ban expiring at the end of this month, the decision will be announced soon,” he said.
The 87 professions for which expatriate employees cannot be hired range from information and technology to media, from finance to sales and marketing, administration, human resources, architecture and aviation.
The official said the ban was first imposed in January last year as part of the ministry’s efforts to regulate the job market.
“Although the ban did not affect the visa-holders practising these professions, the decision was aimed at reducing the number of foreign workers in the country,” he said.
Companies registered with the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (riyada) are excluded from the ban, he said.
According to data from the National Centre of Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of expatriate workers in the Sultanate dropped by 3.6 per cent to reach 1.73 million at the end of December 2018 as against 1.79 million in the corresponding period of previous year. This includes fall in white collar professions such as administration, human resources, engineering, scientific, technical, real estate, industrial, chemical and food industry.

Clerical occupation registered the highest percentage of fall at 10.9, while engineering and sales occupations dropped 7 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
The number of experts in professional, scientific and technical activities saw a 5.8 per cent decrease.
A total of 68,511 Omani nationals were provided jobs — 64,386 in private sector and 4,125 in various public entities — since the launch of the national employment programme in December 2017.
NCSI figures show jobless rate among youths up to the age of 24 years fell 17 per cent followed by an 8.3 per cent drop among those in the age group 25 and 34 years.
As for the public sector recruitment in 2019, the budget includes allocations for 5,000 job opportunities.
Recruitment in the public sector continues to be based on the needs, particularly in the education and health sectors.
However, the private sector is expected to play a greater role in creating more job opportunities as it is involved in all economic activities in the country.
The budget has allocated 17 per cent of its spending on education, which includes training, this year.