Oman has decided to end the practice of converting tourist and visitor visas to work visas for individuals of all nationalities and also suspending the issuance of all new visas to Bangladeshi citizens.
The new policy became effective on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, until further notice.
As Bangladeshi recruiters explain, hundreds of workers in Oman have lost their jobs over the past six months. Many of these workers have been victimised by intermediaries and have not received the promised jobs, VisaGuide.World reports.
The recent decision to suspend visas has been met with approval on social media, as many believe it will help alleviate the job crisis in Oman.
In August of this year, the Oman government initiated an employment and replacement plan aimed at increasing job opportunities for Omani citizens and gradually replacing foreign workers with local talent.
At the same time, Oman has made significant progress towards achieving its 2023 employment and replacement plan, reaching 53 per cent of its job creation target in the first half of the year.
Bangladesh embassy officials have not commented directly on the issue. However, on October 30, the embassy issued a notice stipulating that those visiting the embassy for visa or agreement attestation must provide visas and specific documents and information, including salary records of workers for the previous three months.
The decision to suspend visas in Oman was made shortly after an official delegation from Oman visited Dhaka.
During the visit of Ambassador Dr Sulaiman Saud Al Jabri and the delegation with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Masud Bin Momen, they expressed an interest in signing two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh. One of these MoUs expects to combat illegal migration and human trafficking, indicating a commitment to addressing these critical issues through bilateral cooperation.
According to a July report, Bangladeshi nationals constitute the largest group of expatriate workers in Oman, totalling 703,840 individuals, followed by 530,242 Indians.
Over the past year, the number of Bangladeshi nationals working in Oman has surged by more than 150,000, reflecting a significant increase in the expatriate workforce from Bangladesh in the country.
Based on data provided by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET), in September 2023, Oman recruited 106,000 workers from Bangladesh. The figure places Oman as the third-highest destination country for Bangladeshi workers.
Meanwhile, last year, 179,000 Bangladeshis found employment in the Gulf state of Oman. This contributed to the overall overseas employment of 1.135 million Bangladeshi workers, setting a record for the highest number of workers sent abroad in a calendar year.