Oman bans expats from jobs in web design, tourism and other key industries

Oman has announced significant changes to its employment laws, aiming to reserve certain jobs for Omani citizens. Roles such as web designers, travel agents, hotel reception managers, and marketing specialists will now be exclusively available to Omanis, according to a statement from Oman's Ministry of Labour.

Restrictions on expat jobs

The new regulations broaden the list of professions that expats can no longer occupy, with most of these changes coming into immediate effect. Some of the professions now restricted to Omani citizens include:

Additional roles, including computer programmers, web designers, electronic computer engineer, electronic computer operator, and operations analyst will be restricted to Omanis between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2027.

Changes to foreign investment rules

In addition to employment changes, Oman has revised its foreign investment rules, barring foreigners from investing in 28 business sectors. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion implemented these updates by amending a previous decision, reserving these business activities for Omani investors.

This decision aligns with the Foreign Capital Investment Law, which requires a list of sectors where foreign investment is restricted. The goal is to attract high-quality foreign investments while promoting Omani entrepreneurship, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is expected to create more job opportunities for Omanis.

Draft law on personal income tax

Oman’s new draft law on personal income tax is expected to be implemented in 2025. The 2022 draft targets high-income earners, with Omani citizens earning over $1 million globally and foreign nationals with Oman-sourced income exceeding $100,000 subject to the tax. Foreign nationals could face tax rates between 5% and 9%, while Omanis will be taxed at a flat rate of 5% on income exceeding the threshold.

These measures are part of Oman’s broader efforts to strengthen its economy by encouraging local employment and investment while also managing foreign participation.