Over 65,000 expat workers agree to leave Oman permanently

As many as 65,173 expat workers have applied to leave Oman permanently and 46,000 of them have already left the Sultanate.

The Ministry of Labour announced that the total number of the workforce wishing to rectify their status and leave the country permanently has reached 65,173, of whom 46,355 have already left.

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The ministry cleared that the amnesty scheme ends on March 31. No application for rectification of labour status received after this deadline will be entertained, it added.

تصحيح أوضاع عدد 65173 من القوى العاملة غير العمانية حيث غادر منهم 46355 عامل ضمن فترة السماح للقوى العاملة غير العمانية بالمغادرة إلى بلدانها مع إعفائها وإعفاء أصحاب العمل من كافة الرسوم والغرامات شريطة مغادرتها السلطنة مغادرة نهائية.#وزارة_العمل pic.twitter.com/bxreC5iA3z

— وزارة العمل -سلطنة عُمان (@Labour_OMAN) March 23, 2021

After the deadline, such applications will be processed in the usual manner, in which defaulters will have to pay fines. Expat workers benefiting from the grace period have to leave by June 30.

On October 15, the Sultanate launched the amnesty scheme in an effort to minimise the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on various sectors.

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The Ministry of Labour announced that expats leaving the country will be exempted from paying fines they have accumulated during their stay in Oman, given that they leave the country permanently.

The amnesty scheme was valid until the end of 2020 but was extended till March 31.