Muscat: Oman has stopped issuing and renewing work permits for expatriate workers above the age of 60, reversing a policy introduced more than four years ago that allowed older foreign employees to remain in the private sector, according to a report by The Arabian Stories.
Several expatriates said that renewal applications submitted by their employers had been rejected in recent weeks. A senior official familiar with the matter also confirmed that permits for expatriate workers over 60 were currently not being issued.
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The change could affect long-serving foreign workers who had continued working in Oman after reaching 60 and expected to remain eligible for further renewals under rules introduced in January 2022.
That policy removed a previous age ceiling preventing expatriates from renewing work permits after turning 60. At the time, Oman’s Ministry of Labour said companies were repeatedly seeking exemptions to retain experienced employees beyond the age threshold.
Labour Minister Dr Mahad bin Said Ba’owain later said the change was intended to give employers greater flexibility to retain productive and experienced workers, particularly where companies had met Omanisation requirements and the jobs concerned were not reserved for Omani citizens.
The latest development effectively reverses that position, with employers now facing rejection when seeking permits for expatriate workers who have passed the age of 60, according to The Arabian Stories.
Several affected residents told the publication that the change had created uncertainty over their employment and residency status, particularly among expatriates who had remained in Oman on the understanding that their permits could continue to be renewed.
Oman’s Ministry of Labour continues to list work-permit renewal services for non-Omani workers on its website, but the current service page does not publicly set out an age threshold.
Source: Gulf News
