Omanisation targets for 2020 announced

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Manpower has launched an initiative to increase the Omanisation rates across the country’s expanding tourism, industrial and logistics sectors next year, so as to provide more employment opportunities to locals in the country.
In 2020, the travel and tourism sector will need to meet an Omanisation level of 44.1 per cent, the logistics sector 20 per cent, and the industrial sector 35 per cent.
The three sectors are among those targeted for development and investment under the country’s Tanfeedh plan for economic diversification, and as these sectors expand, the government wants to make sure that the jobs that come about due to this expansion are prioritised for Omanis.
An official from the Ministry of Manpower told Times of Oman, “We will provide training facilities and employment incentives to specialised companies in the travel and tourism, logistics and industrial sectors.
“We will provide temporary work licences across some occupations for the expatriate workforce, as well as part-time local workers, whose presence will count towards the Omanisation rate, provided that the percentage of part-time workers does not exceed 20 percent of the required Omanisation rate.”
“Those people who are subject to our training programmes followed by employment provided through us will be part of this Omanisation rate,” added the official. “Those companies that meet or exceed the Omanisation rate assigned by the ministry will be considered outstanding and will fall under the government’s green card scheme provided the conditions to receive this green card are met.”
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Outstanding companies that meet this Omanisation rate will receive faster treatment from the ministry when it comes to providing facilities and clearances at a quicker rate.
“In case these conditions are not met, or there are no programmes in place to implement these conditions, then we will not be able to give these establishments permission to hire more workers. After a 30-day grace period which is provided to the company, the fines stipulated according to Article 114 of the Labour Law will apply,” explained the official.
The travel and tourism sector had an Omanisation rate of 41.1 per cent in 2017, 42.2 per cent in 2018, 43.1 per cent in 2019, and the Omanisation target for 2020 in the tourism sector is set at 44.1 per cent. The Omanisation rate in the logistics sector was 14 per cent in 2017, 16 per cent in 2018 and 18 per cent in 2019. It has been pegged at 20 per cent for 2020. Meanwhile, the Omanisation target for the industrial sector will be 35 per cent in 2020, after standing at 34 per cent in 2019, 33 per cent in 2018, and 32.5 per cent in 2017.