Companies warned against employing runaway workers

Amid a new law that defines ‘absconders’ in the Sultanate, the Ministry of Manpower has warned employers against hiring ‘runaway’ expatriate workers.

An official at the ministry said, “It is not permissible to provide jobs to workers other than those contracted by the company.”

According to Oman’s labour law, an employer other than the sponsor or work outside the jurisdiction of their job profile shall be punished both with jail and fine.

The official said that the ministry, in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and the civic authorities, has tightened inspections in a bid to root out illegal workforce in the country.

“Raids are being carried out at different places, including offices, private organisations and specific dwellings where large groups of such workers reside,” he said.

On Wednesday, 44 expatriate workers, including 30 women, were rounded up by an inspection team from the ministry for violating various provisions of the labour law.

“The workers were arrested in Seeb, Bausher and Muttrah,” the official said. The previous weekend, 377 expatriate workers were arrested in a pre-dawn swoop in Ruwi and Hamriya, carried out jointly by the ROP and the ministry officials.

“Most of these workers were found to have neither valid work permits or documents to prove their legitimacy in residing in the country,” said the official.

THE MINISTRY, IN COOPERATION WITH THE ROP HAS TIGHTENED INSPECTIONS TO ROOT OUT ILLEGALS IN THE COUNTRY