Over 46,000 expats leave Oman

Muscat:  As many as 65,173 expatriate workers have applied to rectify their irregular status and 46,355 of them have been able to leave the Sultanate permanently.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Labour pointed out that the period designated for adjusting the status of (non-abiding) expatriate workers will end on March 31.

After this deadline, no applications for rectification of labour status will be entertained, said the Ministry, noting that expat workers benefiting from the grace period will have to leave by June 30, 2021 at the latest.

Salim Said Al Badi, Director General of Labour Welfare at the Labour Ministry, said that a large number of expatriate workers have benefited from the grace period by registering at the Ministry’s website (www.mol.gov.om) or through Sanad Offices.

Al Badi reaffirmed that no such applications will be accepted after March 31 and that the expats benefiting from the grace period have to leave by June 30, 2021. After which all applications and approvals will be cancelled, said Al Badi.

This assertion implies that any further delay entails the penalties prescribed in the law.