MUSCAT: Oman has over 65,000 job seekers of which 47,000 are between 18-29 years of age, according to a report issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Despite great efforts from the government to fill and create vacancies, youth unemployment remains high. According to the NCSI report, 43.4 per cent are male, while 56.6 per cent are female job seekers. 

Speaking to The Arabian Stories, Mohammed Al Lawati, a top HR expert in Muscat said opening new avenues will help in reducing the number of those seeking jobs in the country. “With the economy opening up, things will get much better soon. Various government institutions are announcing new opportunities on a daily basis so this number will reduce,” Al Lawati said. 

In May, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has ordered the creation of 32,000 jobs this year. A third of the 32,000 jobs will be generated by the civil service and the military, with the rest offered by the private sector. “The government is doing its best to provide opportunities for young Omanis,” Al Lawati opined. 

According to NCSI, over 178,000 Omani citizens between the age group of 18 to 29 years are employed in the Sultanate of which more than 50 per cent are in government sector. 

“Young Omanis starting new business ventures have also increased,” Al Lawati said. As per the NCSI report more than 23,000 Omanis between the age of 18-29 are currently running various businesses in the country. 

Ibrahim Al Balushi, a veteran businessman from Al Khoud, said technology is driving young Omanis to start or promote their business. “Our population is relatively young and most of them were born after Google and have grown up with social media. So it’s no surprise that these young Omanis are already using their networks to help build their career. Most of them are promoting their businesses through these platforms,” Al Balushi added.