Job worries forcing educated expats to leave Oman

Muscat: With companies scaling back their workforce, the number of educated expatriates working in Oman is dropping, experts said.
Data showed that the number of expatriates holding doctors, masters, higher diplomas, university and diploma degrees declined by more than 1,800 in the first seven months of 2016.
In December 2015, the number of PhD holders was 2,844, but at the end of July it was 2,744.
The number of master’s degree holders stood at 5,869 at the end of 2015, but slipped to 5,740 at the end of July 2016.
The number of higher diploma holders and university students also dropped from 4,889 to 4,866 and from 94,461 to 93,283 respectively.
The number of diploma holders fell from 53,515 to 53,101 between December 2015 and July 2016, according to National Centre for Statistics (NSCI).
On the contrary, the number of people with no education or education till secondary level rose by 106 and 321, respectively, during the same time.
Tonia Gray, general manager at Competence HR, said in her experience most qualified and experienced expatriates, who have chosen to leave Oman, have done so due to concerns related to job security, career development and their ability to obtain better packages in other countries, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
“If they are concerned about their jobs, some wish to choose the time they leave, for example, perhaps because of children still being in school, rather than finding themselves in the position of having to leave in the middle of the school year.”
“However, I believe that the majority of these expats have left because they no longer have a job and not because they have chosen to go. We have been contacted by many expats seeking new positions as they have been told they are no longer required by their company, often because the company is looking at a less costly alternative or because the company is nationalising the position. It has been extremely difficult to find suitable alternatives and often even when the company no longer requires the individual, they are not giving NOCs,” Gray pointed out.
On the other hand, where there are vacancies, expats will be considered, said Gray, adding that some expats are cautious about coming to Oman to take up a position as they are often apprised of the NOC situation by their friends, who are already here. Additionally, couples find out how difficult it is for women to obtain work in Oman, so they consider other GCC countries, where both partners can work.
Agreeing with Gray’s assessment, Ahmed Al Hooti, a member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce, said some educated people were laid off due to the financial crisis in Oman. “Today companies are reducing their workforce and making do with a smaller number of employees like what is happening in the oil and construction sector. However, things are still better off than in other GCC countries, where people are hungry for food.”
On the other hand, Al Hooti explained that a large number of people are starting their small businesses so in turn they are looking for blue collar workers. “There are a lot of people, who have started their family business in the interiors, which has led to employment for many workers,” he revealed.
Experts are of the view that Oman has started losing its skilled talent as some of them have started leaving.
“The brain drain will affect Oman in the long run,” said Anvwar Al Balushi, chairman of the Anwar Asian Investment Group.
Terming it as an unhealthy sign, Al Balushi stated: “If they are leaving because of the poor economy, then we are helpless. But if they are leaving because of Omanisation then we have to make sure that we get Omanis, who are equally talented to replace the experts.”
Most of the people who landed in the Sultanate in 2016 are Bangladeshi blue collar workers. “Our workers are mostly employed in construction, agriculture and in workshops as Oman still continues to build,” said Bangladesh Social Club President Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan.
An estimated 2.039 million of the country’s 4.478 million-strong population is made up of expats, according to the latest estimates, with Omanis making up 54 per cent of the total.
However, with living costs mounting, increased efforts to nationalise the workforce and low oil prices, things are changing. “The whole country is in an uncertain mode so the last quarter of 2016 is very important,” said a businessman, who has been living here for the last three decades.
An expat, who recently advertised to sell his car, said he is not taking any risks. “Though I have not been fired, I want clear my debts as life looks very uncertain here with the falling oil prices,” he noted.
Another expat, who had also advertised his car for sale, said his company won’t have many jobs left after December. “So I may lose my job, and it would be better to sell the car and use a rented car for the next few months.”
The Manager of Waber Trading, Mohammed, who deals in the second-hand car market, said there are very few takers for second-hand cars in Oman. “The business has dropped drastically.”