Oman, formally known as the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلْطنةُ عُمان Salṭanat(u) ʻUmān), is a nation in Western Asia. It is located on the Arabian Peninsula's southern coast and crosses the Persian Gulf. Oman has land borders with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen, as well as marine borders with Iran and Pakistan. The Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast comprise the shore. The United Arab Emirates surrounds the Madha and Musandam exclaves on all sides, with the Strait of Hormuz (which it shares with Iran) and the Gulf of Oman marking Musandam's coastline limits. Muscat is the capital and biggest city of Oman.
The Omani Sultanate was an empire from the 17th century, competing for power in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean with the Portuguese and British empires. Omani influence or dominance reached its apex in the nineteenth century, extending over the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran, Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar. When the sultanate's strength collapsed in the twentieth century, it came under the control of the United Kingdom. For almost 300 years, the two empires' connections were founded on mutual benefit. The United Kingdom recognized Oman's geographic significance as a commercial center, securing their commerce routes in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean and protecting their empire on the Indian subcontinent. Muscat was formerly the Persian Gulf region's main trade port.
From 1970 until his death on January 10, 2020, Sultan Qaboos bin Said was the hereditary ruler of the kingdom, which is an absolute monarchy. The son of the Sultan is customarily proclaimed as the next monarch under Oman's procedures for succession to the sultanic throne. Sultan Qaboos bin Said was a childless man. In a letter, Qaboos bin Said chose his cousin, Haitham bin Tariq, as his successor, and the sultanic family acknowledged him as the next Sultan of Oman.
Oman, once a maritime empire, is the Arab world's oldest continuously sovereign state. It is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations. It has the 22nd largest oil reserves in the world. In 2010, the United Nations Development Programme named Oman the world's most improved country in terms of development during the previous 40 years. Tourism and the trade of fish, dates, and other agricultural products contribute to its economy. According to the Global Peace Index, Oman is classified as a high-income economy and ranks as the 73rd most peaceful nation in the world as of 2021.
An employee is entitled to 30 days of paid yearly leave after six months of work.
Oman recognizes ten public holidays.
Employees are entitled to 10 days of fully paid sick leave.
After the first 2 weeks, social security law provides the employee with payment.
Week 3-4 – 75% of their wages
Week 5-6 – 50% of their wages
Week 7-10 – 25% of their wages
Employees who are pregnant are entitled to 50 days of paid leave. Employees with the same company are only permitted to take maternity leave three times.
Paternity leave is not required by Oman labor laws.
Parental leave is not required by Oman labor laws.
Marriage Leave: 3 days
Bereavement Leave:
3 days in the event of the death of the son, daughter, mother, father, wife, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister
2 days in the event of the death of the uncle, aunt, uncle or aunt
130 days for a working Muslim wife in the event of her husband’s death
Hajj Pilgrimage Leave: 15 days to perform the Hajj pilgrimage once during his service period, provided that the worker has spent a continuous year in the service of the employer.
Exam Leave: 15 days a year to take the exam for the Omani worker affiliated with the study in one of the schools, institutes, colleges, or universities.
To fire an employee, the employer must present appropriate grounds for the termination, a notice period, and a gratuity for the employee's service.
Both parties should provide a written notice of 30 days.
Probationary periods are not required, however, if set in the employment contract should not exceed 3 months.
Severance pay is 15 calendar days' basic pay for the first three years of service and 30 calendar days' basic pay for each additional year of service.
Nine hours per day with a minimum of 30 minutes break and a maximum of 45 hours per week with a maximum of two-day weekend. During the fasting month of Ramadan, Muslim employees' hours are limited to a maximum of 30 hours per week.
Overtime is limited to three hours per day. A minimum of 25% per hour increase during the day, 50% during the evenings, and 100% for work on weekends and official holidays. Substituting replacement hours/days for overtime hours/days is subject to the employee's written approval.
The minimum monthly pay is 325 OMR, with 225 OMR being salary and at least 100 OMR being bonus. The minimum wage is no longer tied to educational attainment.
Omani residents are entitled to free universal healthcare from the state. Private insurance is required for expats.
Medical benefits, education allowances, mobile phone allowances, Ramadan and Eid allowances, travel allowances, and housing allowances are all common employment perks.
The income tax rate is the same for all kinds of business organizations, regardless of whether they are corporate or unregistered.
The income tax rate is 15% for all taxpayers except Omani proprietorships (‘establishments') and limited liability corporations (LLCs) that meet the requirements of small and medium businesses (SMEs).
Oman presently does not have a personal income tax (PIT) legislation in place.
On goods and services provided in Oman, the normal rate of 5% VAT shall apply, subject to certain exclusions and zero rates established by Oman VAT legislation.
VAT is not levied on exempt supplies, and the input tax cannot be recovered. Certain financial services, for example, are examples of exempt suppliers.
Zero-rated supplies are subject to 0% VAT, and the provider may recoup the cost of the purchases made. Export of products and services outside of Oman, for example, is an example of a zero-rated supply.
Foreign visitors to Oman are normally required to get entrance visas. Tourist visas, work visas, relative/friend visit visas, family joining/resident visas, investor resident and student resident visas, and transit visas are the most common types of visas issued in Oman.
They are available as single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry visas for stays of up to 90 days in intervals of 180 days. The single-entry visa allows for just one visit, but the double-entry visa allows for two visits within defined durations. A multiple-entry visa permits for repeated trips to the nation in a row.
In Oman, employment contracts should be written in Arabic, and pay should be paid in the legally circulating currency. However, if the contract was written in a language other than Arabic, an Arabic translation document must be provided to both the employer and the employee. In circumstances of illiteracy or if the employee is not proficient in the language of the contract, the Labor Office must certify the contract. The employer is required to provide the employee with a receipt for all papers provided by the employee.
To work in Oman, all foreign workers must get a work permit. Before being eligible to apply for a foreign worker visa, the petitioning employer must have entered the country legally and met the standards outlined in the Expatriates Residence Law.
In Oman, there are two sorts of contracts: indefinite full-time and definite part-time. A full-time employment contract is for an indeterminate duration with a specified minimum number of hours per day, while a part-time employment contract is for a defined maximum number of hours per day. The latter is used for labor that is either temporary or casual and cannot last more than six months. If a definite contract is continued to be performed after its duration has expired, the contract is considered renewed as an indefinite full-time contract.
Omani Rial
Setting up an Oman subsidiary must begin with answering several questions about your organization. We suggest beginning with the actual location of your office. Different regions or places in Oman may have their own subsidiary laws that might affect your incorporation. That is why it is usually a good idea to do study in these areas before incorporating.
Depending on your business's aims and requirements, a subsidiary might take numerous distinct forms. Oman subsidiary laws will enable you to organize as a limited liability company (LLC), joint stock company, branch, commercial agency, or commercial representative office. Many businesses opt to establish as an LLC because of the advantages it provides to both the subsidiary and the parent company.
The following actions are required to establish an Oman subsidiary:
1. Paying your first capital deposit to the bank
2. Registering with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the Commercial Registry
3. Notifying the Finance Ministry of your incorporation and tax requirements
4. Enrolling workers in social insurance
5. Creating a corporate seal
6. Posting your registration process
You must comply with all of Oman's subsidiary legislation, regardless of the form of subsidiary you pick. Regulations and rules differ depending on the company, therefore you must investigate the appropriate legislation after establishing your Oman subsidiary. LLCs need at least one Omani partner with a minimum ownership of 30%. Companies held entirely by GCC shareholders, on the other hand, do not need a local Omani partner.
Based on the amount of money contributed, each shareholder has limited accountability. To establish your Oman subsidiary as an LLC, you'll need at least two shareholders but no more than 40. However, LLCs do not have to worry about a minimum share capital requirement, which might assist your firm minimize the procedure and requirements.
