COUNTRIES · OMAN
Build Your Team in Oman
Recruit, employ and manage your workforce in Oman through one partner, with all five EmployMENA services available in the Sultanate.
Photo: Domenico Convertini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
OMAN AT A GLANCE
Key facts
- CapitalMuscat.
- PopulationAbout 5.5 million in October 2026, of whom about 56% are Omani and 44% expatriate.
- CurrencyOmani rial (OMR), pegged at USD 2.6008 per rial since 1986.
- Weekly restAt least two consecutive paid rest days a week.
- Language at workArabic. Employment contracts and workplace rules must be written in Arabic.
- Employment lawLabour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023 in July 2023.
Sources: National Centre for Statistics and Information (population clock); Central Bank of Oman; Labour Law, Arts. 7, 33 and 77. Last checked: 30 October 2026.
EMPLOYMENT RULES
Main employment rules
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Contract | In writing and in Arabic, in two copies. A contract in another language needs an Arabic copy agreed by both parties (Art. 33). |
| Probation | Up to 3 months for monthly-paid employees and 2 months for others, once per employer (Art. 37). |
| Working hours | Up to 8 actual hours a day and 40 a week (Art. 70). |
| Overtime | At least the basic hourly wage plus 25% for daytime hours and plus 50% for night hours, or time off in lieu (Art. 71). |
| Weekly rest | At least two consecutive paid days (Art. 77). |
| Annual leave | At least 30 days on full pay a year, available after 6 months of service (Art. 78). |
| Sick leave | Up to 182 days a year: full pay for days 1–21, 75% for days 22–35, 50% for days 36–70 and 35% for days 71–182 (Art. 82). |
| Maternity, paternity | 98 days of maternity leave and 7 days of paternity leave (Art. 84). |
| Notice | 30 days in writing for monthly-paid employees and 15 days for others, unless the contract sets longer (Art. 38). |
| End of service | Employees not covered by the Social Protection Law receive at least one month’s basic wage per year of service, until the Law’s savings scheme applies to them (Art. 61). |
| Non-Omanis | A work permit is required before starting any work (Art. 28). The employer needs a Ministry of Labour authorisation to recruit non-Omani manpower (Art. 27). |
PAY AND PAYROLL
Pay, payroll and social protection
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Currency of pay | Wages are paid in Omani rials unless another currency in legal circulation is agreed (Art. 85). |
| How wages are paid | By transfer to the employee’s account at a local bank or financial institution licensed by the Central Bank of Oman (Art. 87). The Wage Protection System, run by the Ministry of Labour and the Central Bank, monitors private-sector wage payments. |
| Minimum wage | Set by decision of the Minister of Labour (Art. 88). |
| Social protection | Contributions are paid to the Social Protection Fund under the Social Protection Law (Royal Decree 52/2023). Coverage of non-Omani employees, including occupational injury insurance and a savings scheme that replaces the end-of-service gratuity, is being introduced in stages. |
General information, not legal or tax advice.
To employ someone in Oman without your own entity, see Employer of Record. To find candidates, see Recruitment. For payroll and HR administration, see Workforce Management.
Frequently asked questions
Does EmployMENA provide all five services in Oman?
Yes. Oman is one of our three full-service markets, alongside Jordan and Palestine. We provide Recruitment, Employer of Record, Recruit & Employ, Staffing & Nearshoring and Workforce Management, with the scope agreed for each requirement.
Can you find candidates outside Oman for a role in Oman?
Yes. Our candidate searches cover the Arab world, including people inside or outside Oman. We do not provide foreign-labour recruitment or importation services into Oman. If the selected candidate is not Omani, the work-permit requirements for non-Omani employees apply.
Can we employ someone in Oman without setting up a company?
An Employer of Record arrangement can employ the person in Oman while you direct their day-to-day work, subject to the applicable requirements for the role and the employee.
How do we get started in Oman?
Request a quote and select Oman as the country, or book a consultation to talk through the right approach for your team.
SOURCES
Sources and references
Government sources
- Labour Law, Royal Decree 53/2023 (Ministry of Labour, Arabic)
- Royal Decree 53/2023 issuing the Labour Law, text and Official Gazette reference (qanoon.om, Arabic)
- Wage Protection System (Ministry of Labour, Arabic)
- Work permits for establishments, e-service (Ministry of Labour, Arabic)
- Savings programme for non-Omani workers (Social Protection Fund, Arabic)
- Occupational injury and disease insurance (Social Protection Fund, Arabic)
- Fixed exchange rate of the Omani rial (Central Bank of Oman)
- Population clock (National Centre for Statistics and Information)
Last checked: 30 October 2026. Laws and figures change, so we confirm the current requirements for each case. General information, not legal or tax advice.
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