Oman requires foreign companies to hire at least one Omani national

At a glance

• Oman has introduced a new rule requiring foreign-owned companies to employ at least one Omani citizen within their first year of operation.
• The requirement is set out in Ministerial Decision No. 411/2025, adding Article (12) bis to the Foreign Capital Investment Law’s executive regulations.
• Omani employees must be registered with the Social Protection Fund to meet compliance.
• Existing foreign companies must comply within six months, triggered by registration renewal or work permit activity.
• The regulation aims to promote national employment and strengthen labour market integration.

Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion has issued new legislation requiring foreign-owned companies to employ at least one Omani citizen within their first year of operation. This obligation is established under Ministerial Decision No. 411/2025, which introduces Article (12) bis to the executive regulations of the Foreign Capital Investment Law.

To comply, companies must ensure that their Omani employee is officially registered with the Social Protection Fund. Existing foreign businesses operating for more than a year must meet the requirement within six months. Compliance will be triggered by whichever occurs first: renewal of commercial registration, issuance of a new work permit, or renewal of an existing permit.

The measure is part of Oman’s broader efforts to promote national employment and enhance integration of Omani citizens into the private sector workforce.