Visa ban on certain professions extended

Muscat: A visa ban on certain professions has been extended for six months, officials announced.
The Ministry of Manpower has issued a Ministerial Decision, No. 187/2017, to extend a previous temporary visa ban on non-Omani labour force for certain professions in the private sector, specified in previous Decision No. 608/2013.
The temporary ban will be extended by another six months, beginning on June 1, 2017.
Since November 2013, there has been a temporary ban in place on visas for construction workers, which is extended every six months.
The ban states that nine professions will have a prolonged visa ban. The decision clarified that carpenters, metallurgists, blacksmiths, brick kiln workers will not get a visa for a temporary period of time, which has been extended repeatedly.
The ban, however, is not applicable to companies which are rated ‘excellent’ by the Ministry of Manpower, as well as international companies, consultancy firms, and companies executing government projects.
The earlier decision also notes a visa ban on professions including camel breeder, sales, marketing, construction workers and cleaning workers.