Oman to legalise 96000 Bangladeshi workers, may open labour market

TBS Illustration

Expectations for labour exports to Oman rise as the Gulf country pledges to legalise 96,000 undocumented Bangladeshi workers and unveils plans to recruit only skilled workers from Bangladesh across 12 categories for now.

"Oman wants to hire skilled workers from Bangladesh. We have discussed this matter and expect that once skilled workers begin to be employed, unskilled workers will also find opportunities over time," State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman told reporters at his office today.

"Around 96,000 workers are living illegally in Oman. The Omani government has assured us that they will legalise these workers. We have requested them to waive the penalty for legalisation, to which they responded positively," he said.

The announcements follow a four-day trip by Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury to Oman on 28-31 May. Aside from Oman, he visited Dubai and Qatar as well to discuss labour market issues.

Oman suspended visa issuance for Bangladeshi workers in October last year.

Its latest decision comes as a tremendous relief for the undocumented Bangladeshi workforce there.

At the request of Bangladesh, Oman also decided to waive a huge amount of money Bangladeshi workers had to pay to get legal papers.

According to the state minister's visit report, this waiver also brings financial respite to workers, allowing each worker to save around Tk1.44 lakh annually.

Bangladesh has requested Oman to reopen its labour market for less-skilled workers. The country responded positively but assured to reopen its visa facility for skilled professionals in 12 categories for now.

The Gulf country suspended all categories of visas for Bangladeshis starting on 31 October last year to prevent human traffickers from exploiting Omani visas, address the oversupply of foreign workers and increase employment opportunities for its own citizens.

Aside from meeting with the labour minister of Oman, Shofiqur Rahman also held meetings with foreign employers in Oman who have assured to hire more workers from Bangladesh, according to the visit report of the state minister.

The Times of Oman recently reported that Oman intends to issue visas in several categories, including family visas, visit visas for Bangladeshi nationals residing in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, as well as visas for professionals such as doctors, engineers, nurses, teachers, accountants, investors, and for other official purposes.

Welcoming Oman's legalisation decision, Ali Haider Chowdhury, secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira), told TBS, "One advantage of legalisation is that workers no longer need to return to Bangladesh and reinitiate the process of going abroad, thereby saving them significant expenses."

Noting that fewer workers migrate to Oman under project-based contracts, he said, "Mostly workers under individual contracts migrate to Oman. However, this opportunity is currently unavailable due to an oversupply of workers in the region."

Ali Haider emphasised sending individuals to Oman in skilled categories, saying, "With the recent announcement by Oman to accept skilled workers in 12 specific categories, we need to seize the opportunity in these fields. Our government is also emphasising this matter now."

Oman used to hire mainly less-skilled workers from Bangladesh. However, the new visa programme does not include a low-skilled category.

Bangladeshi workers, particularly in low-skilled roles within Oman's non-hydrocarbon sector, have historically played a vital role in the Gulf nation's economy.

Despite Oman's economic growth being primarily driven by oil and hydrocarbon activities, the non-hydrocarbon sector remains crucial.

Before the visa suspension, around 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis had moved to Oman in 10 months leading up to October 2023, according to data from Bangladesh's Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET).

A report released by Omani authorities in July last year revealed that Bangladeshi nationals top the list of expatriate workers in the Gulf country, numbering 703,840, followed by 530,242 Indian nationals.

Legalisation with a waiver a big relief

To get the required work permits, a worker has to pay 40 Omani real per month which amounts to around Tk12,000.

As per the estimation of the Expatriates' Welfare state minister, 96,000 undocumented Bangladeshis would have to pay a total of Tk115.20 crore a month to get legal papers. 

However, at the request of Bangladesh during the state minister's visit, Oman has agreed to waive the amount for Bangladeshi workers.

Thousands of workers vulnerable in Middle East, Malaysia

According to unofficial estimates, the Middle East is the leading destination for Bangladeshi migrants, hosting nearly 6 million workers.

Besides, Malaysia also hosts another one million Bangladeshi workers.

At least one million Bangladeshi workers are undocumented in six Gulf States and Malaysia, according to unofficial estimates.

These workers are living in vulnerable conditions as they do not get proper wages and claim health facilities, according to the sector insiders.

Malaysia began its Migration Repatriation Programme (MRP) in March, enabling undocumented migrant workers to be sent back to their home countries without facing prosecution.

The country took up the programme amid crackdowns against the irregular foreign workers. 

Several hundred Bangladeshis are also estimated to be among those arrested, as per the local media reports.