Muscat – The Ministry of Labour (MoL) has reported major strides in regulating the labour market, expanding employment opportunities and strengthening national human capital, in line with Oman Vision 2040 and sustainable development goals.

Speaking at the ministry’s Media Communication Meeting on Wednesday, H E Dr Mahad bin Saeed Baawain, Minister of Labour, outlined a comprehensive framework of policies and regulations aimed at stabilising the labour market, organising employment relations and enhancing workforce productivity across key economic sectors.

The ministry announced that 60,000 job opportunities will be provided in 2026, including 10,000 positions in the government sector, 33,000 in the private sector and 17,000 opportunities through national training and qualification programmes.

Of the private sector jobs planned for 2026, opportunities will be distributed between replacement jobs in sectors such as oil and gas, logistics and tourism, and new positions offered directly or through wage support and training schemes.

Under the 11^th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), the ministry has identified 17 strategic programmes aligned with future labour market trends, spread across three main priorities. Twelve of these programmes focus on labour market regulation and employment generation.

Reviewing performance in 2025, the ministry said employment targets under the National Employment Programme were exceeded, with 36,413 job opportunities created, achieving 107% of the target. Training-linked employment and replacement programmes recorded an achievement rate of 137%.

The ministry also reported that 2,000 citizens from low-income families and persons with disabilities were employed in the private sector in 2025. Initiatives are under way this year to allocate positions in the government sector for persons with disabilities.

On digital transformation, MoL said national platforms continue to play a growing role in linking jobseekers with employment opportunities. The Tawteen platform now offers more than 160 internationally recognised training programmes, while the Khuta career guidance platform provides professional orientation and skills mapping. Labour market indicators are monitored through an integrated digital observatory to support data-driven policymaking.

Strengthening employment governance remains a priority, with 18 sectoral committees established to align national skills with labour market needs, covering more than 2,300 professions. The ministry also highlighted progress in qualitative localisation, with thousands of Omanis employed in technical and leadership roles, alongside increased participation in professional and vocational certification programmes.

In 2025, the Economic Committee succeeded in resolving 4,388 employment-related cases, including 713 termination cases, while the contracts of 2,146 individuals were renewed. The number of beneficiaries of the Job Security Benefit reached 660.

The ministry said it is overseeing more than 150 innovation and development initiatives, including 39 projects linked to reforming the national vocational training system.

On labour inspection and worker welfare, more than 15,000 inspection visits were conducted during the year to regulate workforce conditions and ensure compliance with occupational safety and health standards. Violations resulted in the arrest of 31,000 expatriates, while 14,000 workers were deported.

Looking ahead, MoL said priorities include expanding Omanisation frameworks, promoting self-employment and freelance work, improving job quality in both public and private sectors, and continuing labour market reforms to support economic diversification.

Key figures

            •           36,413 jobs created in 2025

            •           107% achievement of national employment target

            •           15,000 labour inspection visits

            •           31,000 expatriates arrested, 14,000 deported

            •           33,000 private sector jobs planned for 2026