Can an Expat employee be terminated for Omanisation

Hi km.imran,

Oman is on a massive Omanisation drive and each company has stiff and increasing targets to be met year-on-year. So at any given point, any expatriate employee can be asked to leave and that expatriate employee's seat can be offered to a local / Omani.

Since expatriates are working in a foreign land, the law would favour the locals only -naturally and obviously - even more so if it is to contest a case of their employment and livelihood.

In the court of law, this would not even be considered as a ground for filing a case.

Well i feel it is a bit unfair...though i agree the government is on omanisation drive.I believe omanisation means to employ more Omanis but that does not mean necessarily that they have to throw all expats from their job whose livelihood is also on question..though the priority is given for nationals..The expat employee who is terminated must be duly compensated..

Hi km.imran,

All expatriates who go and take up employment as monthly salaried employees in Oman, do so voluntarily and willingly, fully cognizant of the various risks involved - Omanisation notwithstanding.

To make way for the locals to be employed, the jobs would have to be necessarily wrenched away from the expatriates who are holding on to those jobs dearly.

It would not be practical or feasible for the same job to be done by the locals and the expatriates, both at the same time. In other words, one job cannot be done by two.

Your angst is fully understandable, had Oman solicited expatriates to 'please, please come and work in our country'. But unfortunately, that is not the case - even with the highest of positions being offered to the expatriates.

The reality and the fact of the matter are that any day, any expatriate can lose his / her job. No expatriate's monthly paying job in any foreign country for that matter can be deemed as 'safe' or 'permanent'.

An employee who feels the she or he can prove unjustified dismissal may make a case for the labour court. I would neither persuade or dissuade an employee from doing so but I would like to suggest that this is not likely to be a simple matter at all.  It could take a very long time, even stretching into years, so one must be utterly committed to a significant life change if determined. Also one must be ready to utterly lose, regardless.

No matter one's determination along with one's perception  of injustice, it is absolutely essential that at no stage whatsoever should one allude to blatant illegalities, theft, corroboration or abuse. Pushing such issues may instead land one with a defame case. The latter is something I doubt anyone would be able to easily survive with dignity intact. So, please be careful . . .

Oman is keen for greater nationalisation of the workforce and whether some foreigners (including myself) think that's a brilliant idea or not; it's immaterial. Non-Omanis are guests to the country and like any guests, can be asked to leave.

May we be thankful for a mainly stunning and hospitable country and should we have to reluctantly leave, well, bless us and bless the people, the memories and hopes of Oman.

Fiona