Oman has introduced stricter regulations for agencies recruiting foreign workers, requiring insurance coverage, financial guarantees, refunds in specified cases and completion of recruitment procedures within 45 days.
The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2027, as part of efforts to regulate the recruitment sector and protect the rights of employers and workers. Under the regulations, employers can claim a full refund of recruitment service fees in specified circumstances during a worker’s first 90 days of employment. Alternatively, they can agree to receive a replacement worker.
For domestic workers, employers may also qualify for partial refunds after the initial 90-day period and for up to two years, depending on the circumstances covered by the regulations.
Recruitment agencies will be required to bring workers to Oman within 45 days of signing a recruitment service contract, unless a shorter deadline has been mutually agreed. They must also provide insurance coverage and deposit a financial guarantee of 5,000 Omani rials with the Ministry of Labor.
Additionally, recruitment agencies must pay 300 Omani rials for a license, which will remain valid for two years.
