Oman launches association to regulate expatriate worker recruitment

The association, formed under the Civil Associations Law, will coordinate recruitment policies with government institutions both inside and outside Oman. It will represent licensed recruitment offices before authorities and safeguard their rights, ensuring operations comply with national legislation.

Specialising in the settlement of labour disputes, the association will liaise with foreign embassies through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its focus will be on using reconciliation mechanisms to resolve conflicts involving expatriate workers, preventing escalation and streamlining solutions.

The body will also assist government efforts to bring qualified workers into Oman through regulated channels. This includes validating memoranda of understanding with labour-exporting countries and expanding recruitment pipelines to include multiple nationalities, subject to government and diplomatic approval.

In parallel, the association will collaborate with authorities to identify and eliminate unlicensed recruitment offices, a key priority in Oman’s broader labour market reforms.

A 12-member Board of Directors will manage the association, with members serving two-year terms and eligible for one re-election. Founding members may run for the board during the first General Assembly meeting following the association’s official declaration. Funding will come from membership fees, government subsidies, approved donations and gifts, revenue from activities, and other streams authorised by the Ministry.