To work in foreign countries, individuals need to obtain an employment visa as well as a work permit. Subsequently, Indians need a work visa to work in Oman.

Want to know about the application process for Oman work visas for Indian citizens? Stay tuned!

A work visa is an official document that allows foreign nationals such as Indians to work legally in Oman.

The Immigration authority grants Oman an employment visa at the request of an employer. However, in case employees come to Oman at the invitation of entities other than Government authorities, they have to obtain a labour permit from the Ministry of Manpower.

Individuals who are willing to work in Oman must meet certain eligibility parameters to get an Employment visa in Oman. Below are discussed eligibility criteria for Oman work visa for Indian citizens.

• Applicants must be of 21 to 60 years of age.
• Employers of applicants or visa holders must be local residents of Oman. They must provide correct information regarding employees.
• Applicants must apply for the same profession in both an employment visa and a labour permit.
• Personal details of a visa holder must match with the information provided in the labour permit (issued by the Directorate General of Labour Affairs).

In Oman, employers must apply for a work visa on behalf of employees. Here is a step-by-step guide on the application process for an employment visa in Oman:

Step 1 – Employers must procure a labour licence from the Ministry of Manpower. They must submit an application form to the specialised directorate in the Ministry of Manpower. After this, they can get clearance to hire expatriates.

Step 2 – Next, employers can send an invitation letter to all employees who meet eligibility for getting the labour clearance.

Step 3 – Employees or every expatriate employers sponsor must obtain an individual Oman work visa. For this, employers need to submit the applications to the Immigration Department of the Royal Oman Police via a one-stop source.

Step 4 – Once employees get clearance on employment visas as well, they will have to acquire a residence card. This will help employees legally live in Oman while employed.

Step 5 – When employees enter Oman, they have to go to the Civil Status Department of the Royal Oman Police to get their residence card. They must visit the Civil Status Department within 30 days of arrival.

As stated earlier, it is the employer’s responsibility to complete an Oman work visa on behalf of their employees. Hence, employers must submit the following documents while applying for an Oman work visa.

• An Omanization plan reflecting the positions employers will fill with Omani personnel
• A list of expatriate employees. The document must include information like employee’s gender and positions they are going to acquire in the company
• Foreign national’s passport with a minimum 6 months validity
• Relevant certificates and qualifications of employees
• An invitation or a job offer letter from the employer’s registered company
• Attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Oman Embassy in the employee’s country of origin
• A copy of the labour licence (issued by the Ministry of Manpower)
• A medical certificate from an authorised clinic as per the demand of the health ministry of Oman. The requirement may vary depending on the employee’s home country
• Transcripts from educational institutions
• 2 recent passport photos

The employment visa can take up to 1 month. Here, the time can vary depending on certain factors such as the company sponsoring the visa, policies and regulations involved, education qualification, and medical conditions, if any.

To file for an Oman work visa or employment visa, Indians have to pay 20 Omani Royals.

An employment visa comes with a validity of 2 years as of the date of stamping on the passport.

Oman work visa can be rejected due to following reasons:

• Not having an employment contract
• Present and past criminal records
• Overstaying on the previous trip
• Not being able to explain the purpose of the visit
• Incomplete application
• Not having a proper residential arrangement in Oman
• Submitting false documents

With such a detailed discussion on Oman work visas for Indians, we have reached the end of this piece. Keep in mind these eligibility parameters and visa rejection reasons to ensure smooth Oman work visa approval.