Muscat: His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Oman’s Minister of Manpower has issued a decision to allow certain companies in the construction sector to recruit expat workers.

According to the decision issued on Sunday, Omani-owned SME companies are allowed to recruit expats workers following these guidelines:

1. The employer must be insured with the General Authority for Social Insurance, and registered with the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, with the following exceptions: A) Establishments working in implementing government projects. B) World-class registered facilities.
2. That the employer is committed to the Omanisation percentages established in the facility, as follows:
   – The Omanisation percentage should not be less than 10 per cent for the establishments in which the number of expat workforce is restricted 99 workers or less.
   – The Omanisation percentage should not be less than 12 percent for the establishments in which the number of non-Omani manpower is restricted by more than 99 workers
3. An Omani must be appointed as an engineer or technician, depending on the number of expat workforce.