General Guidelines for Expat workers in the Sultanate of Oman

Congratulations and welcome to Oman, rank as fifth most peaceful country.

I know the mix feeling of being new to this country especially when your first time to work abroad. Many questions that bugs your mind right now but I am sure, the feeling of eagerness to work is much more than those negative thoughts because you are here to earn for your love ones way back in the Philippines.

Aside from the PDOS that were given to you before your flight here, it is very important to know the general guidelines for expat workers here in the Sultanate.

English Version

Dear Expatriate employee:

We would like to draw your attention to the following points that govern the relationship between you and your employer.

These things are as follows:

• When you arrive in the Sultanate of Oman to join work, in case you don’t know how to reach the correct address, please call 80077000 or approach the Ministry of Manpower.
• If your work procedures, such as the issuance of Labor or Residence Card, are not completed within one month from your arrival to the Sultanate, you have to notify your direct boss of this issue.
• Your Labor Card (Civil Status ID Card) is an official document that you have to maintain.
• Do not leave your passport till it expires; you should renew it before its expiry date.
• You are entitled to have a copy of your work contract to keep with you in order to know your duties and rights.
• If you are not happy in your work, do not submit your resignation immediately because this may put you in an illegal situation.
• You are entitled to have your employer insure you against work accidents and injuries
• In case your monthly salary is delayed, you have the right to ask your manager for it; in case you manager does not respond, you have to inform the competent Department of the Ministry of Manpower
• In case you are assigned to work for extra hours, your employer must compensate you as per the conditions of the Omani Labor Law No. 35/2003 as amended.
• In case there is a labor dispute between you and your employer or his deputy and you do not reach an agreement regarding this dispute, you can approach the competent Department of the Ministry of Manpower.
• If you are terminated with no acceptable reason, you may ask the competent Department of the Ministry of Manpower to cancel the termination decision within 15 days from the date in which you were notified of the decision.
• Do not leave your work with the employer you are licensed to work for and work for another employer you are not licensed to work for because this exposes you to legal penalties of prison and fine.
• You have to know that any worker who works in the Sultanate without a license from the competent Department or that who works for an employer other than the one they are licensed to work for shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month and a fine of not less than RO 400/- and not exceeding RO 800/- , re one the two penalties, as well as revocation of the license issued to him, if any, and expelling him from the country on the expense of the employer and denying him from entering the Sultanate.
• The employee has no right to claim any benefits or dues after one year from the date of expiration or termination of his employment contract.
• You should cooperate with officials; because anyone deliberately obstructs or disrupts an official from exercising their authorities or fulfilling any of their duties shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both; and the penalty shall be doubled if the offense is repeated.
• Our commitment to the occupational health and safety measures in the workplace protects you from dangers. Strike is organized by legal procedures issued by the Ministry of Manpower; and strike is not allowed in the institutions that offer public or basic services for the public.
• It is a fundamental obligation to respect the Islamic religion and the applicable laws and regulation in the Sultanate (social and moral values) and abstaining from exercising any activities detrimental to the security of the country.
• You have to maintain the things in your custody which you use to perform your work and to return them at the end of your work term.
• The employer commits to pay the wage agreed upon with the employee regularly and to provide suitable food, accommodation and medical treatment free of charge throughout the duration of the contract.
• The employee is entitled to work for another employer only after completing the legal procedures in this regard.
• The fees of your work license, ID card and residence visa are to be paid by your employer as long as you are legally on the job.

You can download the PDF version from here: https://www.manpower.gov.om/Content/Arabicpdf/Guidlinepdf/English-pdf.pdf

Filipino Version

Mahal naming Manggagawa,

Nais naming tawagin ang iyong pansin sa mga sumusunod na bagay na sumasaklaw sa relasyon mo at ng iyong pinamamasukan:

• Makaraang dumating ka sa Sultanato ng Oman upang magtrabaho at hindi 1no n1akita ang tamang tirahan ng iyong paman1asukan, malugod kang tinatagubilinan na tumawag sa 80077000 o tumungo sa Ministeryo/ Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpovver) o humingi ng tulong sa Embahada ng Pilipinas
• Kung ang mga pamamaraan upang mabigyan ka ng iyong work card o residence (civil status card) ay hindi matapos sa loob ng isang buwan makaraan ang pagdating mo sa Sultanato ng Oman, maaaring ipaalam ito sa iyong direktang superbisor o sa local na recruitment agency o sa pinakamalapit na pangangasiwaan (Labor Directorate) ng Ministeryo/Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpower) o himingi ng tulong sa Embahada ng Pilipinas
• Ang iyong work card (civil status card) ay isang opisyal na dokumento. Kailangan mo itong ingatan at dalhin sa lahat ng oras.
• lkaw ang may karapatan na magtago ng iyong orihinal na pasaporte.
• Huwag pabayaang mapaso ang iyong pasaporte. Kailangan mo itong i-renew bago mapaso.
• Ang iyong pinamamasukan, at hindi ikaw, ang mananagot sa lahat ng bayarin para sa iyong work card, gayundin para sa iyong residency visa hangga’t nagagampanan mo ng maayos ang iyong mga tungkulin ng naaayon sa batas.
• May karapatan ka na humingi at mag-ingat ng kopya ng iyong kontrata sa pamamasukan (employment contract) upang lagi mong matandaan ang iyong mga karapatan at pananagutan.
• Kung maatrasado ang iyong buwanang sahod, may karapatan ka hingin ito sa iyong direktang superbisor o local na recruitment agency, at kung hindi ka bayaran ng iyong direktang superbisor o local na recruitment agency, maaaring iulat ang usaping ito sa pinakamalapit na pangangasiwaan (Labor Directorate) ng Ministeryo/Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpower).
• Kung hihingin sa iyo na magtrabaho ng overtilne, may pananagutan ang pinamamasukan mo na bayaran ka para sa trabahong overthne alinsunod sa pagkaka­amyenda ng Omani Labor Law No. 35/2005.
• Kung may anumang hindi pagkakaunawaan sa pagitan ninyo ng iyong pinamamasukan, kailangan mo itong ipaalam sa iyong direktang superbisor o lokal na recruitment agentcy at kung walang mangyayaring pagkakasundo tungkol sa hindi pagkakaunawaang ito, maaari kang sumangguni o tumawag sa pinakamalapit na pangangasiwaan (Labor Directorate) ng Ministeryo/Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpower) o sa Embahada ng Pihpinas habang patuloy kang nagtatrabaho para sa iyong pinamamasukan.
• Kung ang mga serbisyo mo ay winakasan dahil sa hindi katanggap-tanggap na dahilan, maaari kang magbigay ng kahilingan sa pinakamalapit na pangangasiwaan (Labor Directorate) ng Ministeryo/Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpower) upang ipawalang-saysay ang desisyon ng pagwawakas sa loob ng 15 araw mula sa petsa nang ipaalam sa iyo ang nasabing desisyon.
• Ipinapaalam sa iyo na ang isang manggagawa na nagtatrabaho sa Sultanato ng Oman na walang permiso magtrabaho (work permit) mula sa karampatang kagawaran o ang isang manggagawa na nagtatrabaho sa isang hindi lisensiyadong pinamamaasukan o tumakas mula sa kanyang trabaho ng walang nararapat na rason ay mapaparusahan ng pagkakakulong ng hindi hihigit sa isang buwan o multa na hindi bababa sa O.R. 400 at hindi hihigit sa O.R. 800 o alinman sa dalawang kaparusahang ito, bilang karagdagan sa pagpapawalang-saysay sa mga permiso sa trabaho na ipinagkaloob sa kanya at deportasyon na gagastusan ng partidong pinagtatrabahuhan niya at ipagbabawal ang muling pagpasok sa Sultanato ng Oman.
• Hinihingi sa iyo na makipagkaisa sa mga opisyal na tauhan dahil ang sinumang tao na pipigil o hahadlang sa opisyal na tauhan na magampanan ang kanyang katungkulan ay lalapatan ng parusang multa o pagkakakulong o ang kombinasyon ng dalawang ito at dodoblehin ang kaparusahan kung uulitin ang kasalanan.
• Ang pagsunod sa propesyonal na mga regulasyon para sa kalusugan at kaligtasan sa trabaho ay para sa iyong kapakanan.
• Ingatan at gamitin ng maayos ang mga kasangkapan sa pagtatrabaho na ipinagkaloob sa iyo at isauli ang mga ito sa pinamamasukan mo pagkatapos ng iyong serbisyo.
• Igalang ang relihiyon ng Islam at sumunod sa naaangkop na mga batas at regulasyon ng Sultanato ng Oman (kasama na ang mga pagpapahalagang sosyal at moral) at mahigpit na ipinagbabawal sa iyo ang paggawa ng anumang aktibidad na makakasama sa seguridad ng Sultano ng Oman.
• Pinapayuhan ka na repasuhin ang Batas sa Paggawa (Labor Law) upang malaman mo ang iyong mga detalyadong karapatan at pananagutan. Makakakuha ka ng kopya ng Batas sa Paggawa (Labor Law) sa website ng Ministeryo/Kagawaran ng Manggagawa (Ministry of Manpower)

You can download the pdf version from here: https://www.manpower.gov.om/Content/Arabicpdf/Guidlinepdf/philipino-pdf.pdf

View the Oman Labour Law from here: https://www.juaninoman.com/oman-labour-law/

For other language such as Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and Swahili you can check the version from this link http://www.manpower.gov.om/Portal/NonOmaniLaborGuidelines.aspx