How to Get a Work Permit in Oman (Visa Steps & Fees)

You cannot apply for an Oman work permit yourself. A licensed employer in Oman applies first to the Ministry of Labour for the work permit, then to the Royal Oman Police (ROP) for an OMR 20 work visa, and after you arrive you pass a medical and receive a resident card. Government fees for one worker usually total about OMR 230–360 for two years (more if the employer misses its Omanisation target), and most hires take one to three months from start to finish.

This guide is for job seekers checking an offer and for founders hiring their first foreign employee. It covers the four stages, the 2026 fee rules, the documents, nationality-specific medical rules and the mistakes that cause most delays.

Work permit, work visa and resident card: what is the difference?

They are three separate documents from different authorities, issued in a fixed order:

The employer is the applicant for the first two. The worker's own role starts at the airport. Older ROP pages still say "Ministry of Manpower", which is the former name of the Ministry of Labour.

What are the steps to get a work permit in Oman?

1. The employer gets the work permit from the Ministry of Labour

The employer needs an active commercial registration, a Ministry of Labour account and an Omanisation ratio that allows another expatriate in that profession. The ministry checks the company's headcount before approving. If the company is below its required Omani share, or the profession is reserved for Omanis, the file stops here, and nothing at the ROP will move it.

The permit fixes two details for the rest of the process: the profession and the worker's gender. Government employers skip this stage.

2. The employer applies to the ROP for the work visa

According to Gov.om's Get a Work Visa service, the steps are submission, review and issue, and the fee is OMR 20. The applicant must be at least 21, and the gender and profession must match the work permit exactly. The employer or its PRO files the application online and signs it.

3. The worker enters Oman

The ROP work visa is multi-entry and valid for two years from the date it is stamped on entry. Before booking a flight, check the visa copy against your passport: name spelling, passport number and profession. Fixing an error before travel is far easier than after.

4. Medical test and resident card after arrival

The worker registers for the Ministry of Health medical fitness examination, which costs OMR 30 (OMR 40 for catering workers such as chefs and café staff), according to Gov.om's medical fitness service. The service takes about five days. The ROP then issues the resident card. Under ROP Decision 78/2025, cards can be issued for one, two or three years at OMR 5 per year.

If you are the new hire, ask which stage your file is at. A file stuck at stage 1 usually means a quota problem the company has to fix. A file stuck at stage 2 usually means a document problem that can be fixed in days.

What documents are required for an Oman work visa?

For regulated jobs (doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers), degree attestation and professional approval run on their own timetable. Start them as soon as the offer is signed, because they often take longer than the visa itself.

Which nationalities need an attested medical certificate?

The ROP lists 11 countries whose nationals must submit a medical certificate attested by the Ministry of Health with the visa application:

• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka
• Philippines, Indonesia
• Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria

The same rule applies to the temporary work visa. Take the medical only at a centre your employer or the Omani embassy confirms is approved. A report from an unrecognised clinic cannot be attested, and you will end up paying twice.

Applicants from other countries, for example Nigeria, Russia, the CIS states, Iran or Europe, do not need the pre-entry attested certificate. Everyone still takes the medical in Oman after arrival.

How much does an Oman work permit cost?

Ministerial Decision 602/2025 reset Ministry of Labour fees and extended the work permit from 15 to 24 months, so it now matches the residence period. The main fee classes, as reported by the Oman Observer, are:

Two adjustments matter for every company:

• Fees fall by 30% if the employer meets its prescribed Omanisation rate, and double if it does not. The February 2026 report confirms the ministry is applying this.
• Fees are paid only after the ministry approves the application. If the worker fails the medical, the visa is refused or the worker leaves within 90 days, the employer can reclaim the fee or reissue the permit for OMR 1.

Example: total government cost for one second-class employee (2 years)

Not included: degree attestation and translation, PRO or agent fees, health insurance, flights, and the employee's own visa costs at home. The employer, as sponsor, normally pays the government fees. A recruitment agent's lump-sum "visa price" is the agent's package, not an official fee.

Fines employers should avoid

• Late permit renewal or late registration of worker data: OMR 10 per month, up to OMR 500 per worker.
• Late regularisation of a worker's status (for example, not cancelling after departure): OMR 15 a month for individuals and OMR 20 for companies, up to OMR 500 per worker.
• Changing the profession on a permit costs OMR 5. Upgrading to a higher class means paying only the fee difference.

How long does the Oman work visa process take?

No authority publishes a fixed processing time. In practice:

Plan for one to three months in total, and longer for regulated professions. Most of the waiting happens before the ROP stage.

Temporary work visa: when does it fit?

For fixed-term projects the ROP issues a temporary work visa valid for 4, 6 or 9 months from stamping, with multiple entries and the same minimum age of 21. The employer needs a Ministry of Labour permit for temporary workers. Match the period to the realistic project length. A four-month visa for an eight-month job only creates more paperwork later.

Common mistakes that delay an Oman work permit

1. Different job titles. "Site engineer" on the visa form and "civil engineer" on the permit is enough to get the file returned.
2. Hiring before checking Omanisation. If the company is below its Omani quota, the permit stalls and the fee doubles.
3. Short passport validity. The passport must still have six months left when the visa is stamped, not just when you apply.
4. Medical at the wrong clinic. For the 11 listed nationalities, only approved centres count.
5. Ignoring the two-year release rule. If you left Oman less than two years ago, you need your previous employer's release letter before a new visa.
6. Paying for a "free visa". A work visa covers only the sponsoring employer and the profession on the permit. Working for someone else is a violation.
7. Late renewals. Monthly fines add up per worker. Put permit and resident card expiry dates in a calendar.

What employers and founders need before hiring their first expat

• A registered company, either mainland or in a zone such as Sohar Free Zone. See all options in our company registration hub.
• A Ministry of Labour account and a clear picture of your Omanisation requirement before you make offers.
• One consistent job title for each role across the contract, the permit and the visa.
• A plan for your own residency. Founders usually hold investor residency through their company, and larger investors can consider the Oman Golden Visa. Our guide to registering a company with residency explains the founder route.

For family members, read our immigration and residency guide and Oman visa requirements. Oman Register handles Ministry of Labour registration, work permits, visas and resident cards for new and existing companies, and can tell you before you file where a specific hire is likely to slow down.