10 months ago
Oman Tightens Entry Rules For Expatriate Workers, Warns Of Crackdown On Forged Qualifications
Oman has tightened pre-entry requirements for expatriate workers under its professional accreditation system, requiring expatriates to verify their academic and professional qualifications before entering the country, while warning of strict penalties for forged certificates, local media reported. Zaher bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, Director of the Department of Professional Standards at the Ministry of Labour, said the measures are aimed at regulating the labour market, curbing credential fraud and raising workforce quality across key sectors. Under the system, expatriate workers seeking employment in regulated professions, including engineering, logistics and accounting, must have their qualifications assessed and approved by accredited sectoral skills units before arrival. A work practice licence is issued only after verification, and entry permits are granted solely once the licence has been approved. The ministry said it has detected cases involving the forgery of professional classification certificates and work practice licences, describing such acts as a clear violation of Omani law. It stressed that employees and companies are responsible for obtaining licences exclusively from authorised bodies and for verifying their authenticity. Sanctions for violations include fines, licence cancellation, deportation and referral to the courts, with liability extending to employers who facilitate or overlook breaches. The reforms form part of […]
10 months ago
Kuwait Revises Residency Rules For Expats, Sets Strict Limits On Time Abroad
Expatriate residents in Kuwait will no longer be permitted to remain outside the country for more than six months, under new restrictions introduced as part of updated residency regulations. The measures were set out in a ministerial decision issued by the Ministry of Interior, local media reported. The decision forms part of the executive regulations of Kuwait’s residency law and is intended to regulate residents’ status and ensure compliance with legal requirements. It applies to all categories of residency permits, with specific exemptions outlined for certain groups. According to Ministerial Decision No. 2249 of 2025, expatriate residents will no longer be allowed to remain outside Kuwait for more than six months. The rule applies to all types of residency permits, with exemptions granted to children of Kuwaiti women, property owners and foreign investors. The decision forms part of the executive regulations of the residency law and is aimed at regulating residency status and ensuring compliance with legal requirements. Separate provisions apply to domestic workers. Under Article 20, domestic staff may remain outside Kuwait for a maximum of four months, unless the sponsor submits an approved leave request through the relevant residency affairs departments or via the Sahel application. The Interior Ministry […]
10 months ago
Kuwait Simplifies Visa Issuance And Residency Transfers For Expatriates
Kuwait’s Interior Ministry has rolled out two new electronic services designed to streamline the issuance and transfer of Article 18 residency permits, Kuwait’s news agency, KUNA, reported. The services, launched by the ministry’s General Department of Information Systems in coordination with the General Department of Residency are now available through the Interior Ministry’s official website. They are aimed at simplifying procedures for employees in the civil sector who fall under Article 18 of the residency law. According to a statement carried by KUNA, the new e-services allow users to issue, renew and transfer Article 18 residency permits electronically. They also enable the transfer of a civil sector employee’s residency status from worker residency to temporary residency under Article 14, removing the need for multiple in-person visits. The initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens, save time and effort for service users, and accelerate the transition towards an integrated e-government system. The ministry also seeks to improve efficiency, enhance user experience and ensure faster processing of residency-related transactions.
11 months ago
Oman Expat Residency Card Validity Extended To 10 Years
Oman has announced a major change to its residency regulations, extending the validity of the expatriate residency card from three to 10 years. The decision, issued by Lieutenant General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, amends the executive regulations of the Civil Status Law, according to a report by Atheer newspaper. Under the new rules, residency cards will now be valid for up to 10 years. Cardholders must renew their IDs within 30 days of expiry. The regulation also sets the issuance and renewal fees at five Omani rials per year, with a replacement fee of 20 rials for lost or damaged cards. Previously, in a decision issued last August, residency cards were valid for one, two, or three years only.
11 months ago
Kuwait Suspends Biometric Fingerprinting At Border Crossings
Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has announced the suspension of biometric fingerprinting procedures at all border crossings—including air, land, and sea—to reduce congestion and ease travel delays, Al Anba newspaper reported. New procedure for citizens and expatriates Under the new directive, Kuwaiti citizens must complete biometric fingerprinting before travel at Personal Identification Centers of the General Department of Criminal Evidence or at National Identity Centers. Expatriates can complete the procedure exclusively at Personal Identification Centers across all governorates. Decision aimed at reducing crowding The ministry said the decision follows repeated reports of crowding at border checkpoints, particularly at Kuwait International Airport, where travelers who had not completed their biometric registration in advance caused long wait times and disruptions. Ministry urges early registration The Ministry of Interior emphasised that the change is part of ongoing efforts to streamline travel procedures and ensure smoother experiences for all passengers. Citizens and residents are being urged to complete their biometric registration well ahead of scheduled trips to avoid delays or complications.
12 months ago
New Rules From November: What Indian Expats Need To Know
From November 1, 2025, several new financial rules in India will come into effect, impacting banking, Aadhaar, GST, and credit card services. Indian expats should take note, as these updates could affect how you manage your Indian accounts, send money home, or shop online. Here’s a breakdown of the key changes and tips for NRIs: Bank nomination rules Effective November 1: Amendments to the Banking Laws Act are streamlining the bank nomination process to help avoid ownership-related disputes. What’s changing: Amendments to India’s Banking Laws Act allow account holders to: NRI tips: Aadhaar Updates The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has revised the fee structure and simplified the online update process. New fee structure: NRI tips: GST slabs changes Effective November 1, the indirect tax structure is being simplified with a major change to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) slabs: NRI tips: Paytm UPI Update for NRIs In a major move for the Indian diaspora, Paytm now allows UAE NRIs (and those in 11 other countries) to use UPI with international mobile numbers linked to NRE or NRO accounts. How to get started: Benefits for UAE NRIs: Supported countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Australia, Canada, France, Hong […]
1 year ago
Oman: Switching Jobs Eased For Expats Without Registered Employment Contracts
The Omani Ministry of Labour has announced new rules granting expatriate workers greater freedom to change jobs if their employers fail to register valid employment contracts after work permit renewals, the daily Arabian Stories reported. In a notice to both individuals and businesses, the ministry cautioned that when a work permit is renewed without an active contract uploaded to the system, the employee will automatically gain the right to transfer their services to a new employer after 30 days. Officials said the measure aims to protect workers’ rights and ensure transparency in the labour market. The ministry urged employers to comply promptly with contract registration to avoid losing staff and to support Oman’s wider labour reforms.
1 year ago
Oman: Switching Jobs Eased For Expats Without Registered Employment Contracts
The Omani Ministry of Labour has announced new rules granting expatriate workers greater freedom to change jobs if their employers fail to register valid employment contracts after work permit renewals, the daily Arabian Stories reported. In a notice to both individuals and businesses, the ministry cautioned that when a work permit is renewed without an active contract uploaded to the system, the employee will automatically gain the right to transfer their services to a new employer after 30 days. Officials said the measure aims to protect workers’ rights and ensure transparency in the labour market. The ministry urged employers to comply promptly with contract registration to avoid losing staff and to support Oman’s wider labour reforms.
1 year ago
How Indian, Pakistani Expats Can Get Oman Golden Visa For 10 Years
Oman recently launched a 10-year golden residency programme designed to attract foreign capital and skilled professionals, offering long-term stability to investors and their families as part of the country’s Vision 2040 reform agenda. The announcement was made at the ‘Sustainable Business Environment’ forum in Salalah. The programme, officials said, reflects a strategic push to deepen private sector growth, accelerate job creation, and encourage knowledge transfer. Under the scheme, investors who meet a minimum threshold of 200,000 Omani rials (about $520,000) qualify for renewable decade-long residency permits covering their spouses, children, and first-degree relatives, without restrictions on age or number. Two types of Oman golden residency The Oman golden residency programme is divided into two tiers. A tier one visa, valid for 10 years, requires an investment of not less than 500,000 Omani riyals in a limited liability company, public joint-stock company or government bonds; or, aspirants can buy a property worth 500,000 riyals in the sultanate; or establish a company employing a minimum of 50 Omani nationals – specification of company capital not required. The visa costs 551 Omani riyals and can be extended. A tier two visa, valid for five years, requires an investment of not less than 250,000 […]
1 year ago
Expatriates Make Up 78% Of GCC’s 24.6 Million Workers
Expatriates make up over 78 per cent of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s workforce, according to figures disclosed at a high-level labor meeting in Kuwait. Speaking at the opening of the 11th meeting of GCC labor undersecretaries, Marzouq Al Otaibi, acting director general of Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to advancing joint labor strategies and tackling shared challenges. The agenda, he said, included programs for private-sector employment, nationalization, social protection, labor development, and women’s participation in the workforce. The GCC Assistant Secretary General for Economic and Development Affairs, Khaled Al Sunaidi, described labor policy as a cornerstone of sustainable growth. He said the meeting aimed to harmonize labor regulations, improve work environments, and strengthen the Gulf’s competitiveness at regional and global levels. Al Sunaidi revealed that the GCC labor market employed 24.6 million people as of the second quarter of 2024, including 19 million expatriates. He urged governments to maintain a balance between hiring nationals and benefiting from skilled foreign labor, warning that global economic shifts demand continued cooperation. He also highlighted the pressures of digital transformation, noting that studies predict nearly half of traditional jobs could be disrupted within 20 years due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. That, he […]
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