Unregistered Work Contract in Oman: When You Can Change Employer

If your employer renews your work permit without registering your employment contract in the Ministry of Labour's system, you gain the right to move to another employer 30 days after the renewal date. The Ministry announced this in a notice to employers on 30 September 2025, and I found no later notice that changes it.

The old title of this topic said "contracts not renewed", but the rule is about contracts not being registered.

What the notice says

• When a permit is renewed and no active contract has been registered electronically, the worker automatically gets the right to transfer his or her services 30 days later.
• Employers are expected to register the contracts of all employees electronically.
• The Ministry also warned employers about the consequences of renewing permits without registering contracts. The reports I read mention no fine. The stated risk is losing the worker.

Who is covered

The notice, as reported by Gulf News and DLA Piper, speaks of expatriate workers. The Oman Observer's version does not mention nationality. Since the problem it targets is permit renewals for foreign workers, expect it to apply to them, and ask the Ministry if you are Omani.

What a proper contract looks like

The Labour Law (Royal Decree 53/2023) sets the standard, so you can check what you were given.

| Point | Rule | |---|---| | Form (Art. 33) | In writing, in Arabic, in two copies, approved by the competent authority. A foreign-language version is fine if an approved Arabic copy is attached. If there is no written contract, the worker can prove his or her rights by any means | | Length (Art. 34) | Fixed-term contracts may not exceed 5 years but can be renewed by agreement. Renewals count towards your service | | Deemed open-ended (Art. 35) | A contract is treated as indefinite if it has no stated period, is not written, runs beyond 5 years, or carries on after expiry without a written renewal | | Content (Art. 36) | Employer and workplace, your details, the job, duration, basic wage and allowances, payment date, a notice period (at least one month if the employer gives notice), and respect for religion, Omani law and customs | | Probation (Art. 37) | Up to 3 months for monthly-paid workers, 2 months for others, once with the same employer, with at least 7 days' notice to end it |

What is not clear

• How the 30 days are counted in practice, and whether it starts from the renewal date shown in the system.
• The steps to transfer. The notice describes an automatic right but gives no form or procedure. I did not find a Ministry page that explains it.
• Penalties for employers. None are stated in the reports.

What to do

If you are a worker, ask your employer for a copy of the registered contract when your permit is renewed. If none exists after renewal, keep proof of the renewal date and ask the Ministry (contact centre 80077000) before you act. If you are an employer, register every contract at the same time as the permit. Compare our residency service if you need help with permits.