— Before You Fly

Before you fly to Oman

Four things to do before you board: check the offer with the destination's own authority, know your rights, carry the right papers, and get the practical details in writing.

Check your offer Destination guide

Step 1 · Check the offer

Who to check with in Oman.

Oman

Ministry of Labour

The ministry that oversees private-sector employment and work permits in Oman.

Call centre 80077000, shown on the ministry homepage; labour complaints are filed through its online service (read 8 October 2026)

Official site ↗

Last checked 29 September 2026. Links go to official sites we do not control; treat each site as the authority, not this page.

Your Rights, From Official Sources

What the government and the ILO publish, in plain words. Laws change: your contract and the official page always win over this summary.

Recruitment fees and your documents

Recruitment agencies are prohibited from charging fees to workers (Labour Law, Royal Decree No. 53/2023).
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)
An employer may not keep a worker's passport or identity documents except with the worker's written permission.
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)

Contract and pay

The contract must be drafted in Arabic in two original copies, one for each party; if it is in another language, an Arabic copy must be attached.
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)
Wages must be paid at least monthly through the Wage Protection System to an accredited bank, within seven days of the end of the period.
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)

Hours, rest and leave

The working day is eight hours up to 40 hours a week, with two consecutive rest days a week. Overtime is paid at basic salary plus 25 per cent by day and 50 per cent by night, and 100 per cent on rest days or public holidays (or a day off in lieu).
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)
Annual leave is 30 days of paid leave after six months of service, and the employer pays the return air ticket for the worker to spend that leave in their home country.
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)

Health, safety and housing

Since 2019 a Unified Health Insurance Policy requires the employer to provide private medical insurance to employees.
ILO factsheet: Oman, regulatory framework governing migrant workers (updated December 2023)

Recent changes

Oman's Social Protection Law (Royal Decree 52/2023, issued 19 July 2023) gradually brings migrant workers into national social insurance for maternity and paternity benefits, sickness and employment injury, on the same terms as Omani workers.
ILO: Far-reaching reforms in Oman set new benchmark for social protection
The law replaces the end-of-service indemnity system with a national provident fund, with the changes phased in over three years.
ILO: Far-reaching reforms in Oman set new benchmark for social protection

Compare all six Gulf countries side by side →

Checked against the linked pages on 2026-09-30. This is general information, not legal advice.

Step 2 · Carry

What goes in your hand luggage.

Papers, originals

Your passport, with your visa or entry documents ready
Your medical and any clearance certificates your destination required
Your flight details and the address you are going to

Papers, copies

The employment contract exactly as you signed it, printed and on your phone
Education and trade certificates, kept apart from your main folder
A photo of your passport photo page saved where your family can also reach it

People and health

Phone numbers for your specialist, your employer contact and your family, written down
Any prescription medicine in its original packaging, with the prescription
A small amount of cash for the first day, not a large sum

Keep your own passport with you. If anyone asks to hold it, do not hand it over before you have checked the rights above and talked to your specialist.

Step 3 · Get it in writing

Ask these before you board, and keep the answers.

Details such as pickup, housing and how pay reaches you differ by employer and city. We do not guess them for you; ask, and get the answer in a message or document you can show later.

Who meets me at the airport? A name, a phone number that works from abroad, and where they will be standing.
Where will I sleep on the first night, and after? The address, who pays for it, and whether it matches what the contract says.
Who is my contact on the first day? A named supervisor or HR contact, not just a company name.
How and when is my salary paid? Into which bank account, on which date, and in which currency. Paid to you directly, not to someone else.
Who pays for the flight, the visa and the medical? It should match your contract. If something is charged to you that the contract does not mention, ask why before you pay.
What happens if the job is not the one in my contract? Know who to call first, and keep the authority above and your specialist's details to hand.

Step 4 · When you land

Your first days.

Tell your family you have arrived, and send them the address you are staying at.
Check what you were given against your contract: job, pay, hours, housing. If they differ, tell your specialist the same day.
Keep every document you are given, and take a photo of each one.
If something is wrong, contact your specialist first, then the authority in Step 1.

Local practicalities such as phone plans, banking and transport are not covered here because we do not publish anything we have not verified. Your specialist and employer can tell you what applies to your city.

Go Deeper

Routes into Oman

Full pre-departure checklist · Sending money home · When your contract ends · For your family