Job Discussion Forums

[JoeRomano]

A question: say a person got a 2 year work visa (and signed a two year contract) but was mistreated, lied to and not paid as per contract. The person does a runner ( out of Oman) before 90 days are up and sends a letter of resignation to the employer as well as the labor card by email/mail. However, the original work visa has not been canceled.

1) I understand that this person is now listed as absconding, am I right? If so, for how long? What is the most probable scenario?
2) Is this person now banned from going back to Oman? As in forever? Or what is going to happen? What are the prospects for this person in Oman/GCC now? He /She has been fingerprinted.
3) Can Oman ban this person from entering other GCC countries? If so, for how long?

I am not talking only about Westerners but also Filipinos/Indians that got abused, deceived/ lied to/ not paid etc, and had to do runners.

Please answer only if you know or have seen similar things happen and know what the outcome may be. Kindly refrain from moralizing and victim blaming as in "You should have checked up on the employer", etc. This is a fait accompli so please abstain from sarcasm, sermonizing, etc. People are driven to all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons so please just tell what you know. If you do not know, please do not reply.

If you do not know the law but have seen something like this happen to others and know what they have been able to do/accomplish/overcome in order to work in Oman/GCC again, please share.

[veiledsentiments]

I can answer some of the basic question. Yes, you have absconded. You would be unable to get another work visa in Oman until the employer you absconded from cancels the work visa with the Ministry. (whether or not it is canceled in your passport doesn't really matter) Personally I would stay out of Oman for a couple years... but that is opinion, not knowledge of current law.

None of the other Gulf countries give a damn unless you robbed a bank on the way out. Teachers have been absconding for years and heading to another country with no issues whatsoever, but I would be honest with your new employer about it.

VS
(But now that you know what you are unable to tolerate, you best check out your next employer more carefully. A history of annual absconding will soon make you unemployable in the Gulf.)