283.9k national employees working in private sector

According to data published by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of insured Omanis in the private sector has risen by 6.4 per cent to 283,900 workers by the end of 2023 as more than 17,000 nationals joined the sector in 2022.

The statistics show that approximately 18,000 national employees in the private sector earn a monthly salary above RO 2,000 while 88,000 employees earn between RO 325 and RO 400. About 50,000 nationals earn between RO 400 and RO 500 per month and 35,000 national employees earn between RO 500 and RO 600.

Earlier, the Ministry of Labour said that the private sector has become attractive to the youth of late with less than 3 per cent migrating to the public sector from the private sector.

Last year, the ministry managed to provide more than 35,000 jobs in both sectors for nationals. The ministry underscored the importance of attracting investments and focusing on diversification in all economic sectors specially the service sectors that are capable of generating job opportunities.

In addition, the Ministry of Labour has made great strides in job nationalisation in the private sector including administrative and financial jobs and other positions at the departments and sections of the registration, admission and students deanships and all counselling and social guidance jobs at private colleges and universities. Jobs at administrative and financial jobs and some educational segments have also been nationalised in addition to health and occupational safety and health supervisors at private schools.

A total of 190 jobs were made available for nurses in addition to 43 jobs for dentists and 110 jobs for pharmacists.

Some jobs are currently under Omanisation in postal and telecommunication services in coordination with telecom companies and subcontractors.

Also, the ministry is coordinating with banks and private companies to provide financing for entrepreneurs to start up businesses that would contribute to development in the governorates and speed up the activation of business incubators to boost emerging businesses.

The NCSI data show that the majority of national employees in the private sector are in the construction sector with 52,000, wholesale and retail trade sector (42,000), manufacturing (34,000).