Job Discussion Forums

[Whatever will be]

Effective July 1, 2014, the " two year ban" on expat workforce in Oman will be back.
In an announcement, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has said no employment visa will be issued after July 1, 2014 to any foreigner who previously worked in the Sultanate and has not completed two years from the date of last departure, in keeping with the requirements of expatriates residency law and its implementing regulations.
The step is being taken in co-ordination with the authorities concerned with the recruitment of foreigners.
A reliable source at the ROP explained that the law has been in existence for a long time but is being enforced now.
" The decision bans the expatriate workforce to join another company before completing two full years from the date of departure" said the ROP source.
Source: Times of Oman, Sunday, 11 May 2014, front page

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/33687/Article-Two-year-ban-to-end-poaching-of-expats

[Sleepwalker]

Re-posting here because the other thread has gone off-topic.

http://muscatconfidential.blogspot.com/

http://www.muscatmutterings.com/2014/05/an-update-on-visa-situation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MuscatMutterings+%28Muscat+Mutterings%29

'Right, so the visa confusions are nearly all resolved, here's the summary:

1. You have until June 1st to get a NOC from your current employer (if you are changing jobs) - On June 1st, your visa won't be transferable with a NOC. Which means not a lot for you, but for employers it means that your visa is then cancelled, and another one in it's place (to replace you from the job you are leaving) will not be easily obtained.

2. You have until July 1st to get your new Visa issued in your passport. Unless you are renewing your visa in your current job. So, if you left Oman on September 15th, 2012, and wanted to come back to work in Oman, you would not be able to get your visa until September 15th, 2014 - 2 years later. If you are already here and are changing jobs without a NOC (still possible until July 1st) you better get moving.

3. From June 1st, any employer issuing a NOC to an employee wishing to change jobs, will do so at their own peril - it's not automatic that a new clearance would be issued.

Which means, that it is all very well and good to say that employees in good standing can change their jobs (whether they have worked their Contracts to completion or have a NOC) except that no employer in their right mind will issue a NOC because this will then directly impact them on how they conduct their business.


Clear as mud? Bon.

le fin.'

[Tazz]

And so, due to the inflexibility of the system, exit many teachers each 1-2 years who have completed their contract and established themselves and wish to move 'onwards and upwards' within Oman, but cannot.....and so, the endless revolving door of recruitment continues-an endless cycle of disgruntled newbies struggling to cope.......

[Sleepwalker]

My feeling is that it will be quickly refined but only time will tell.

[CVN-76]

It will be more important than ever to get the truth out about classroom conditions, to steer people clear of Oman who you know wouldn't go there if they knew everything about those conditions. Oman will have to rely more on fresh, naive meat to fill teaching positions. Hopefully those teachers will do their homework. Hopefully high-paying jobs with illogically high turnover will make them pause and think.

[smokesignals]

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/33638/Article-Omans-2-year-ban-for-expats-returns

[Whatever will be]

CVN-76

For native-speakers, this will be true.

However, teaching positions will need to be filled and the target market for recruiters will be more than ever the sub-continent (Sri Lanka, India) or the rest of the Arab-speaking world (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan) plus the Philippines. These workers are "cheaper" due to their non-native status and generally lower education levels (usually only Bachelor degree holders). In addition, they are very compliant and grateful for the opportunity and will usually do whatever students want (cheating, overlooking rude behaviour, poor attendance, etc.) to keep their jobs.
Educational standards will even further decline.

There is a strong feeling lately that Oman is slowly running out of money (i.e. cut back of petrol subsidies, pay freeze for ex-pats in teaching, non-renewal of contracts by expats working in the Ministry of Education, cutting down on ex-pat visas to force stronger Omanisation...)

It seems that the teaching for native speaking ex-pats in Oman has had its day and that it is time to move onto greener pastures.

[Sleepwalker]

Whatever will be

I suspect they will place Omani staff wherever possible and try to recruit native speakers to fill the gaps to lend some credibility to the colleges.

[MuscatGary]

[pooroldedgar]

Who decides on who gets renewed, the school or the agency? I'm not sure why TATI would resign me and send me and my family to the US when they can just sent one person to India instead.

[MuscatGary]

[Sleepwalker]

pooroldedgar

If you are on a family visa then it could be the extra cost or perhaps the larger accommodation required

[Sleepwalker]

July 1st dawns - if anyone hears any news re NOC issue being relaxed (or otherwise), please post.

[omanoman]

If you finish your contract, you are fine. That is the main point of the whole mess. It was initiated by the huge number of job hoppers, mostly sub-continental non-teaching positions, that put a strain on companies and the Ministry itself processing all the transfers.

The company will not be punished by giving an NOC IF the contract period has been fulfilled. If you want to leave early, then it is definitely a problem for you to come back.

That is the latest I have heard and it seems to make sense (as much as these things ever do)

[Sleepwalker]

OmanOman, who did you hear it from?