ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Oman have agreed to accelerate the finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on labour and manpower exchange, aiming to enhance the flow of Pakistan’s workforce to Oman. This agreement will facilitate smoother movement and create better opportunities for Pakistani workers in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula nation.
The decision was made during a meeting in Muscat between Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain and the Minister of Labour of the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Mahad bin Said bin Ali Baowain. Salik is on a three-day visit to Oman, during which he will meet with various Omani ministers and inaugurate a new branch of the Pakistan International School in Muscat.
During the meeting, the minister apprised the Omani side of major reforms the Pakistani government is undertaking to improve the emigration process of workers, their professional capacity enhancement, and the marketing of the Pakistani workforce abroad. He highlighted that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis is upgrading technical training centres in the country to train the workforce according to the certification requirements of specific countries or regions.
Oman is the third-largest employer of Pakistani workforce in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with approximately 360,000 Pakistanis working in Oman. Pakistan receives more than $1 billion in remittances every year from Oman, significantly contributing to the country’s foreign exchange.
Most Pakistanis in Oman are employed in the construction, oil & gas, manufacturing, logistics, wholesale, and retail trade sectors. Additionally, Pakistanis work in the healthcare, teaching, hospitality, banking, and IT sectors.
Salik informed me that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis is initiating a compulsory pre-departure orientation programme for all workers going abroad. This programme will educate them about the labour laws of the host country, workers’ rights and duties, cultural sensitivities, and reprieve mechanisms in case of any eventuality during their stay abroad.
He also offered the Omani government to send well-trained human resources from Pakistan through the government-owned Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), which maintains a database of over 500,000 Pakistanis in different fields.
Dr. Mahad acknowledged that Pakistan and Oman enjoy very cordial relations and that Pakistanis are contributing significantly to the development of Oman. He noted that Pakistani workers are highly skilled and work in a vast variety of fields. He expressed his government’s commitment to streamlining the migration process of workers to Oman and removing any obstacles.
Salik invited his counterpart to Pakistan to see the technical training facilities and explore possible collaboration in training. He also proposed the possibility of Oman investing in skill development centres in Pakistan, focussing on training workers according to the demands of the Omani market.
The two sides agreed to enhance official engagements between the two countries, aiming to create more opportunities and a smoother process for Pakistani workers seeking employment in Oman. This agreement marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties and ensuring the mutual benefit of both nations in the realm of labour and manpower exchange
