Over 31,000 Workers Found Violating Labor Regulations: What It Means for Employers and Investors in Oman
The Ministry of Labor held its annual media meeting on Wednesday to review its achievements and initiatives from the past year, while also outlining future directions for the labor sector and human resources development.
Key Highlights:
The labor market and employment priorities for 2028-2029 focus on empowering national competencies through freelance work platforms and institutional partnerships. This approach aims to place qualified nationals in supervisory, specialized, and technical roles within the private sector, particularly in priority economic sectors.
The Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) includes 17 strategic programs aligned with future labor market trends. Of these, 12 programs specifically address labor market and employment priorities.
During 15,000 inspection visits by labor welfare teams, over 31,000 workers were found in violation of regulations.
The Ejada platform for human resources management now involves more than 48 government entities and benefits over 80,000 employees. This system, designed to measure individual performance and institutional excellence, has yielded highly positive results.
In total, 45 government services have been recognized for excellent performance efficiency, 17 government units received honors for outstanding performance, and 67 units fully implemented the Ejada system.
The Wage Protection System currently has more than 141,000 registered establishments, with over 91,000 maintaining compliance.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Ministry plans to create 60,000 job opportunities: 10,000 in the government sector, 33,000 in the private sector, and 17,000 through national training and qualification programs.
In 2025, the Ministry provided over 36,000 job opportunities along with more than 15,000 vocational training opportunities linked to employment and workforce replacement.
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
Oman’s strategic focus on empowering national competencies through freelance platforms and institutional partnerships signals a strong shift towards a more dynamic, localized labor market, presenting significant opportunities for businesses to leverage national talent in priority economic sectors. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should prioritize ventures that align with the Eleventh Five-Year Plan’s programs, especially those enhancing technical, supervisory, and specialized roles, as well as those integrating with platforms like Ejada to maximize efficiency and compliance.
