Oman: Part-time work contracts limited to locals, says ministry

Muscat: Only Oman locals will now be eligible for part-time work contracts in the Sultanate, according to a decision taken by the ministry of labor, local media reported on Monday.

The decision stipulated that the temporary work employee should be Omani and over 15 years old, and the necessity of concluding an employment contract between the two parties clarifying the work relationship, the agreed salary, the hours of work, the contract must be less than the full contract.

His Excellency Dr Mahahad bin Saeed bin Ali Baween, minister of labor issued ministerial resolution No 115/2021 regarding the regulation of part-time work, which stipulated:

“Based on the Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 35/2003, and Royal Decree No. 89/2020, establishing the Ministry of Labour and determining its terms of reference and the adoption of its organisational structure, and to ministerial resolution no 217/2016 regarding the system of employment of juveniles and the businesses and professions in which they may be employed, and to ministerial resolution no 40/2017 regarding the regulation of part-time work, and based on what is required by the public interest that has been decided.”

“Article one: It works in the matter of regulating part-time work according to the attached provisions.”

“Article two: The aforementioned ministerial resolution no 40/2017 is repealed, as well as everything that contradicts this decision or contravenes its provisions.”

The second article states that the employer may employ job seekers, retirees, students, or workers in the private sector in the part-time work system.

According to the Times of Oman, the decision stated that in order to benefit from this system, General Education Diploma (GED) students must be enrolled in a public or private school and be at least 15 years old.

Students must obtain parental consent in order to work, and must only work during the mid-year vacation and at the end of the school year vacation.