Oman’s decision to ban visas to Bangladeshi citizens is “temporary” and the move was not “political in nature”, the Embassy of Oman in Dhaka said in an urgent statement on Thursday (November 2).
“Oman recalls with utmost respect and gratitude the contributions made and being made by Bangladeshi expatriates while it values the close and brotherly relations with the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,” read a statement from the embassy.
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The embassy statement said the visa suspension announced by the Royal Oman Police comes in the context of a comprehensive review process being conducted by the relevant Omani authorities with a view to streamlining the regulation of the foreign labour market.
The competent authorities are exerting their sincere efforts and are keen to complete the review process as early as possible to resume the visa issuance process afresh by the guidelines and regulations that conclude the review process, it added.
The embassy also said that the review process is based on technical and legal factors that serve and protect the interests of an expatriate worker and the employer as well as ensure the stability of the foreign labour market in Oman.
The Royal Oman Police on Tuesday (October 31) announced the visa suspension with immediate effect without specifying the reason. The Middle Eastern country also suspended converting all tourist and visit visas to work visas for all nationalities.
Oman Stops Visa to Discipline Labour Market
The Oman government, under the employment and replacement plan, took the initiative to increase job opportunities for Omani citizens and replace foreign workers with locals, reported Arab News in August.
Oman is on course to surpass its 2023 employment and replacement plan after hitting 53% of its target for job creation in the first half of the year, it added.
According to a July report, Bangladeshi nationals are at the top of the list of expatriate workers in the Gulf country, with a total of 703,840 individuals, followed by 530,242 Indians.
Oman recruited 1.06 lakh workers from Bangladesh this year until September, ranking as the third highest among destination countries, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
Last year, 1.79 lakh Bangladeshis were employed in the Gulf state, contributing to a total overseas employment of 11.35 lakh, setting a record for a calendar year.
Bangladeshi workers sent $790.65 million in remittances from Oman in FY23
Oman’s economy is estimated to slow down in 2023, capped by Opec+ production cuts and slower global economic activity, according to a World Bank Macro Poverty Outlook.
However, the economy is anticipated to strengthen over the medium term, driven by higher energy production and wide-ranging structural reforms.
Oman visa suspension issue will be resolved soon: Momen
The government is engaged in discussions with Oman to address the suspension of visa issuance to Bangladeshi nationals, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said on Thursday (November 2).
“The decision came suddenly. It could be a very temporary measure. We have talked to our ambassador. Hopefully, it will be resolved very soon through discussions,” Momen said while talking to reporters at his ministry.
Regarding the suspension, Momen said, “Agencies sent lots of Bangladeshis to Oman without adequate job arrangements, resulting in the move [to suspend issuing new visas].”
He also mentioned that 1.79 lakh Bangladeshis have been sent to Oman in 2022.
“We want to convey a message to Bangladeshis that no one should go illegally. We want regular and orderly migration,” the foreign minister added.
In the first six months of this year, 76,679 workers have migrated to Oman for employment.
According to the Oman Embassy’s release, one of the objectives of the review is to resolve “the phenomenon of an increasing number of laid-off workers” in the market who resort to working illegally in random jobs without having full legal protection and rights.
Another objective is to ensure that companies and citizens who apply for work visas for foreign nationals will actually employ them in licensed jobs and not exploit them by forcing them to work in unlicensed jobs or to engage in illegal activities.
Besides, the review will address the growing practice of some states in imposing “cumbersome, lengthy and costly” conditions and procedures in the process of recruitment, a practice which is counterproductive for both workers and employers, reads the release.
