Over 2,000 expat workers arrested for violating labour laws in Oman

Muscat: A total of 2,324 expat workers have been arrested in the governorate of North Batinah in the first half of 2018, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has announced.
The Joint Inspection Team of the General Directorate of Manpower in North Batinah Governorate managed to arrest 2,324 workers on charges of violating labour laws and regulations, in various parts of Northern Al Batinah between January 1 and June 30, 2018.
Mahfouz Al Wahibi, General Director of Manpower Directorate in North Al Batinah Governorate, said: "The joint inspection team in the North of Al Batinah is exerting great efforts to regulate the labour market and reduce the phenomena of hidden trade. [They are also following up on] violators to reduce violations and abuses by some individuals and establishments through inspection tours.”
Among the violations 1,757 were related to commercial licenses of illegal workers, 338 were related to agricultural occupations, and 229 were in private professions. During the same period, 2,233 workers who had been arrested previously were deported from the Sultanate.
Al Wahibi said: "The General Directorate of Manpower in North Batinah and its inspection team are intensifying efforts to control all those who violate the labour law by increasing the number of inspection campaigns on work sites and places where expatriates and their gatherings exist.
"The inspection team follows up on communications received about the presence of fugitive workers at certain locations, deals with them promptly and conducts surprise search campaigns through which the violators are caught," Al Wahibi added.