Record arrests in crackdown on illegal expatriate workers

In its continuing crackdown on illegal workers in the Sultanate, officials from the Ministry of Manpower have arrested 880 expatriates in a period of less than seven days.

According to data by the ministry, Muscat Governorate registered a record number of 626 arrests followed by North Al Batinah with 78 during the period from March 10 to 16. Of the total number of arrests, 410 were for ‘freelance work’, 303 for leaving the sponsors and the remaining 166 for staying in the country without proper documents.

“The raids conducted in cooperation with Royal Oman Police and other authorities, are part of the efforts by the authorities to cleanse the labour market,” said the ministry official.

According to the weekly data, a total of 410 workers were deported last week.

“Most of the arrests and deportations were for violating different provisions in the labour law including residency permits. The raids will be intensified in the coming weeks,” the official said.

Commenting on the rising number of arrests, the official said that despite warnings, a large number of workers are still found to be doing jobs without proper work permits.

“Hundreds of the workers, who were caught during the raids, were not working under the sponsor whom they were supposed to,” he said.

Quoting the labour law, the official said, “a non-omani employee who works in Oman without a licence from the directorate concerned or works with any employer other than the employer who obtained a licence to bring him to the Sultanate, shall be punished.”

Most of the arrests were for violating labour law. The raids will be intensified in the coming weeks OFFICIAL Ministry of Manpower