Oman's 2025 Work Permit Reform: 24-Month Permits, Fine Cap and Omanisation Fee Cut

Ministerial Decision 602/2025, reported by the Oman Observer on 26 October 2025, reorganised how work permits and work practice permits are issued in Oman. For employers the headline changes are longer validity, capped fines and fees linked to Omanisation. We found no amendment up to 6 November 2026. The full text is behind a subscription on decree.om, so we rely on press reports and a law firm summary, and could not confirm the Gazette date or the legal start date. For permit types, fee classes and late-fine rules, see our reference post.

Longer permits

Permits for non-Omani workers now run up to 24 months instead of 15. The Ministry's stated aim is to line permit validity up with residency periods, which cuts paperwork and cost for employers. A shorter temporary permit can still be requested.

Move a worker up a category

An employer can change the profession on a permit from a lower category to a higher one by paying only the difference in fees, with Ministry approval and without issuing a new licence.

Omanisation and fees

• Employers that meet the prescribed Omanisation rates get 30 percent off permit fees.
• Employers that do not meet them pay double.

The Oman Observer, Waya and DLA Piper agree on this. In February 2026 the Oman Observer reported that the Ministry had put the discount system into operation. There is one conflict: the October 2025 report said these provisions do not apply to investor-category professions, while the February 2026 report lists a discount on the investor-category fee as well. We could not resolve it from the decision text.

Late fines capped

The late renewal or status-correction fine is capped at RO 500 per worker. Delay fines can be set aside in several cases, including the death of the worker or employer, the worker's departure from Oman or visa change, a labour complaint filed after the contract ended, and a worker who is imprisoned or whose passport is held by the authorities. DLA Piper confirms the main exemptions.

Refunds and new permits

In defined cases, such as the worker failing the medical test, a visa refusal, or the worker being repatriated or transferred within 90 days, the employer can recover fees or obtain a new permit for a nominal charge. The Oman Observer reports it as RO 1 per worker. Exact conditions are in the decision itself.

Social exemptions and civil society

Households can be exempt from fees when hiring a domestic worker, nanny, private driver, nurse or home health assistant if the household includes a person with a disability, an elderly person who cannot care for themselves, someone needing special care, or a family receiving family income support. The Oman Observer reports one worker per household, with a second possible after social assessment. Reports describe the exempted fee differently (recruitment or permit), so ask the Ministry. Civil society and humanitarian bodies also get a lower fee, reported as RO 101 instead of RO 141.

Households hiring help should also read our domestic worker hiring guide.