New labour law: Oman announces major reforms for domestic workers
Oman’s Ministry of Labour has unveiled game-changing reforms for domestic workers through Ministerial Decision No. 574/2025, replacing regulations that have been in place since 2004. These new labour law changes directly impact thousands of household staff, drivers, nannies, gardeners, and other domestic professionals working across the Sultanate, as well as their employers who need to understand updated legal requirements.
This comprehensive overhaul of Oman labour law reform introduces stricter working hour limits, enhanced payment protections, and strengthened safety measures that bring domestic workers rights Oman into alignment with modern employment standards. The new employment regulations Oman also establish clear termination procedures and enforcement mechanisms to protect both workers and employers.
We’ll explore how these domestic worker protection laws create a comprehensive legal framework that replaces outdated regulations, examine the improved working conditions and enhanced leave benefits now guaranteed under the law, and break down the strengthened worker rights and streamlined employment oversight that positions Oman as a regional leader in ethical domestic worker treatment.
Comprehensive Legal Framework Replaces Outdated Regulations
New Ministerial Decision No. 574/2025 takes immediate effect
Oman’s groundbreaking Oman labour law reform comes into force immediately following its publication in the Official Gazette through Ministerial Decision No. 574/2025. This comprehensive new employment regulations Oman initiative represents a complete overhaul of the existing framework, directly replacing the outdated Ministerial Decision No. 189/2004 while simultaneously canceling all associated recruitment forms that no longer meet modern standards.
Replaces 2004 regulation with modern employment standards
The domestic workers rights Oman legislation marks a significant departure from the previous 21-year-old regulatory framework, introducing contemporary employment standards that align with international best practices. This Oman legal framework domestic workers transformation addresses longstanding gaps in worker protection and establishes a robust foundation for fair employment relationships in the domestic sector.
Three-month grace period for employers and workers to comply
Understanding the need for smooth transition, authorities have implemented a strategic three-month grace period allowing both employers and employees to regularize their status according to the domestic worker protection laws. This compliance window ensures orderly adaptation to the new regulatory environment while minimizing disruption to existing employment arrangements.
Covers wide range of domestic professions including drivers, nannies, and caregivers
The working conditions domestic staff Oman legislation encompasses an extensive scope of domestic professions, including household staff, drivers, nannies, gardeners, agricultural workers, residential guards, home nurses, cooks, and animal caretakers. This comprehensive coverage ensures that all domestic workers benefit from enhanced legal protections and standardized employment conditions across diverse household service sectors.
Enhanced Working Conditions and Hour Limitations
Maximum 12-hour workday with mandatory 8-hour rest periods
Oman’s labour law reform establishes clear boundaries for domestic worker schedules, limiting daily work to a maximum of 12 hours while mandating at least eight hours of rest. This comprehensive framework ensures adequate recovery time between shifts, with meal breaks and other rest periods explicitly excluded from total working hours calculations, providing enhanced working conditions and meaningful work-life balance protection.
Overtime limited to 2 additional hours with written worker consent
Weekly paid day off with double compensation for working on rest days
Clear separation of meal breaks from total working hours
Improved Leave Benefits and Payment Protections
Improved Leave Benefits and Payment Protections
Now that we have covered enhanced working conditions, Oman’s new labour law reform establishes comprehensive leave benefits and financial protections for domestic workers. The legislation guarantees a minimum of 21 days paid annual leave, ensuring domestic staff receive adequate rest periods throughout the year. Additionally, workers are entitled to up to 30 days of paid sick leave annually upon submission of valid medical certification, during which they cannot be required to perform any duties.
The new employment regulations Oman has introduced also strengthen payment protections through strict wage disbursement requirements. Employers must pay wages within seven days of the due date, either through bank transfer or signed receipt, eliminating delays that previously affected domestic workers. Furthermore, wage deductions are permitted only in limited cases such as damage by negligence, court-ordered fines, or loan repayment, and cannot exceed 25% of the total wage, providing crucial financial security under the domestic worker protection laws.
Strengthened Worker Rights and Safety Measures
Prohibition of forced labor and harassment practices
The new Oman labour law reform establishes comprehensive domestic worker protection laws by explicitly prohibiting forced labor and harassment practices. This crucial provision ensures domestic workers rights Oman are safeguarded through clear legal boundaries that protect vulnerable employees from exploitation and abuse within household employment settings.
Ban on passport confiscation and document retention
Under the updated employment regulations Oman, employers are strictly forbidden from confiscating passports or retaining personal documents belonging to domestic workers. This significant reform addresses a common practice that previously left workers vulnerable, ensuring their freedom of movement and personal autonomy remain protected under the new legal framework.
Minimum age requirement of 21 years for employment
The Oman worker safety regulations now mandate a minimum age requirement of 21 years for domestic worker employment. This provision strengthens worker protection by ensuring only adults with sufficient maturity can enter domestic service positions, eliminating the risk of underage employment in household settings.
Mandatory provision of housing, food, and health insurance
Employers must now provide adequate housing, food, health insurance, and transportation as part of their obligations under the new domestic worker benefits Oman framework. These mandatory provisions ensure basic living standards and healthcare access, creating a more secure employment environment for domestic staff throughout the country.
Streamlined Employment Management and Oversight
Streamlined Employment Management and Oversight
Building on the enhanced working conditions established in Oman’s labour law reform, the new regulations introduce comprehensive administrative improvements that strengthen oversight and accountability in domestic worker employment. These reforms create a transparent framework that benefits both employers and workers through clear documentation requirements, financial protections, and role clarity.
Electronic Contract Registration Through Ministry Platform
All employment contracts for domestic workers must now be registered electronically through the Ministry’s dedicated platform, significantly enhancing oversight and transparency in the sector. This digital transformation ensures that every employment relationship is properly documented and monitored by government authorities, creating accountability throughout the hiring process.
Mandatory Record-Keeping for One Year Post-Contract
Employers face new obligations to maintain comprehensive employment records for at least one year after contracts conclude. This extended documentation requirement supports worker protection by ensuring employment histories remain accessible for verification and potential legal proceedings, while providing authorities with necessary oversight capabilities.
Prohibition of Recruitment Fees Charged to Workers
The new domestic worker protection laws explicitly forbid charging recruitment fees to workers, eliminating a significant financial burden that previously affected many domestic staff. This prohibition ensures that job seekers are not exploited through upfront costs and creates a fairer employment landscape aligned with international labour standards.
Clear Role Definitions Preventing Unauthorized Job Assignments
Employers are now prohibited from assigning workers outside their licensed roles, establishing clear boundaries for job responsibilities and preventing exploitation through unauthorized duties. This provision protects domestic workers from being forced into tasks beyond their agreed employment scope, ensuring fair treatment and appropriate compensation for specified services.
Termination Rights and Legal Protections
Termination Rights and Legal Protections
Having covered the comprehensive working conditions and benefits, Oman’s new labour law reform now provides robust termination rights and legal safeguards for domestic workers. Under these enhanced domestic worker protection laws, employees gain unprecedented power to terminate employment without notice in cases of abuse, fraud, or wage delays. Employers maintain full responsibility for end-of-service benefits and repatriation costs regardless of termination circumstances. The legal framework domestic workers can now access includes free representation through recruitment offices, eliminating financial barriers to justice. Administrative violations carry substantial penalties ranging from OMR 50 to 500 per infraction, multiplied by affected worker count, ensuring meaningful enforcement of these employment regulations in Oman.
Worker Right to Terminate Without Notice in Abuse Cases
Workers now possess the legal authority to immediately terminate their employment contracts without providing notice when facing abuse, fraudulent practices, or delayed wage payments.
Employer Responsibility for Repatriation Costs and Benefits
Regardless of termination circumstances, employers remain legally obligated to cover all end-of-service benefits and bear full responsibility for repatriation expenses.
Free Legal Representation Through Recruitment Offices
The new regulations exempt domestic workers from legal fees in employment disputes and authorize recruitment offices to provide court representation at no cost to the worker.
Administrative Fines Ranging from OMR 50 to 500 Per Violation
Violations of these labour law changes carry administrative penalties between OMR 50 and 500, with fines multiplied by the total number of affected workers to ensure proportionate enforcement.
Strategic Alignment with National Development Goals
Compliance with Royal Decree No. 53/2023 Requirements
The new labour law reform provisions are strategically crafted in direct alignment with Royal Decree No. 53/2023 requirements, establishing comprehensive regulatory compliance for domestic workers’ rights protection.
Support for Oman Vision 2040 Modernization Objectives
These reforms directly support Oman’s Vision 2040 modernization objectives by transforming the labour market framework. The legislation represents a significant step toward achieving the nation’s long-term development goals through progressive employment standards.
Promotion of Ethical Employment Standards Across Sectors
The new law promotes ethical employment standards, setting precedents for responsible labor practices across multiple sectors. This comprehensive approach ensures consistent protection mechanisms for domestic workers throughout Oman’s evolving economic landscape.
Enhanced Labor Market Transparency and Accountability
Now that we have covered the regulatory compliance aspects, the reforms establish enhanced transparency mechanisms within Oman’s labor market. These measures strengthen accountability structures, ensuring domestic worker protection laws are effectively implemented and monitored across all employment sectors in alignment with national development priorities.
Oman’s sweeping labour reforms under Ministerial Decision No. 574/2025 represent a transformative shift in domestic worker protection, replacing outdated 2004 regulations with comprehensive legal safeguards. The new framework establishes crucial standards for working hours, rest periods, leave entitlements, and wage protections while explicitly prohibiting forced labour, harassment, and document confiscation. These enhanced provisions, coupled with strengthened termination rights and streamlined employment oversight through electronic registration, demonstrate Oman’s commitment to ethical employment practices.
These reforms align directly with Oman Vision 2040 and signal the country’s dedication to modernising its labour market while recognising domestic workers as vital contributors to society. With administrative penalties for violations and a three-month grace period for compliance, employers and workers now have a clear pathway to operate within this improved legal framework. The success of these reforms will depend on effective implementation and enforcement, making it essential for all stakeholders to embrace these changes and work together to create a more equitable domestic labour environment.
img{
width:100%;
}
table, td, th {
border: 1px solid;
}
table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
