Royal Oman Police arrest nearly 400 labour law violators

Royal Oman Police have arrested nearly 400 labour law violators amid a wider crackdown on illegal workers.

The majority of the 365 arrested in the raid in the Ruwi area of Muscat yesterday morning were from Asian countries and included a woman and 31 “infiltrators”, according to Oman News Agency.

Police in the country have arrested 10,300 illegal workers between January and October this year for violating labour laws and residency rules. This includes 644 arrested between July 30 and August 5 alone.

However, the country is expected to see fewer arrests of violators for 2017 as a whole than the 18,000 seen last year and 19,000 in 2015, according to Times of Oman.

Embassies in the country are urging their nationals to ensure they are working legally and not using tourist visas for their employment.

Those found in violation of the law will be deported.

In response to a lack of employment opportunities for Omani nationals the government pledged to create 25,000 jobs in the public and private sectors earlier this month.

The first stage of the plan will begin in December 2017 and include a series of executive steps to be carried out concurrently.

Read: Oman to provide 25,000 jobs for nationals, warns private sector to cooperate

The country also lowered its salary requirements for foreign workers to bring their family to the country as dependents in October in an effort to encourage workers to send less money to their home countries.

Read: Oman lowers salary requirements for foreigners to bring their family