Sultanate among top 10 best countries for good work-life balance of expats
Times News Service
MUSCAT:
Oman was ranked among the top 10 best countries for expats and their work-life balance, according to an international survey. The 2017 Expat Insider Survey by InterNations, the world’s largest online expatriate platform, collected insights from more than 13,000 expatriates living in 188 countries and territories worldwide. Based on its findings, Oman scored 9th.
InterNations said about Oman, “Many expats (43%) moved to Oman for work-related reasons, and nearly all of those living there (96%) work full time — the highest share among the top 10 featured countries.”
Survey respondents in Oman worked an average of 43 hours a week and gave the Sultanate a worklife balance score of 67%, as well as a score of 70% in the “satisfaction with working hours” category.
Expats responded to ranking, praising Oman for its welcoming policy towards foreign workers.
Speaking to the Times of Oman, a Filipino expat Arnold Santos, a Lecturer at Military Technical College, said, “It’s my 11th year in Oman already. The environment is very peaceful and healthy. In monetary terms, I’m well compensated and the Government does not impose taxes like they do back home, where one third of our salary goes towards paying taxes. But most importantly, the Omani people are very warm and friendly.”
His sentiments were shared by others. “Oman has to be one of the best countries in terms of worklife balance, because there are a lot of activities that can be done and there is respect from employers when it comes to employees’ time,” said Cyril Piaia, chief executive officer of property development firm Musstir.
Spare time
“Usually, people go home around 5pm, whereas it could be a lot later, around eight or nine at night, in other countries, which gives you a lot of time to spend with your children and family, and provides a good and comfortable life for expatriates,” he added. “My personal experience is that in other countries, you sometimes have to come back to the office on weekends because of pressure from the head office or deadlines, whereas in Oman, people tend to respect the weekend.”
R. Madhusoodanan, General Manager of Global Money Exchange, added, “The ranking is accurate due to a host of reasons. The low cost of living allows for more savings and remittances. There is also no personal tax. Oman is a very peaceful place to live in, with a location that is close to many international destinations.”
Denmark topped the rankings, followed by Bahrain, Norway, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Sweden, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Oman and Malta.
On a global scale, expats working full time spend an average of 44.3 hours a week at work: some three in five of them are satisfied with their work-life balance (60%), as well as their working hours (61%), InterNations revealed.