Labor Nationalization Policies in Oman: Implications for Omani and Migrant Women Workers

Abstract

The Sultanate of Oman has relatively high unemployment, especially among women and youth, while its economy continues to rely on imported labor. To reduce dependence on foreign labor and to tackle unemployment, the government introduced a policy of Omanization or nationalization of its labor force. As part of a wider agenda for the diversification and privatization of the Omani economy, a key aim of the policy is to increase the participation of women in the labor force, to maximize the use of national human resources and to enhance the return of investments from the rapidly expanding educational attainment of Omani females in the last two decades. This paper focuses on female labor force participation in Oman and examines the implications of Omanization for women in the teaching and nursing professions. Empirical research was carried out in Muscat to determine how labor nationalization manifests in the workplace and to what extent and in what way Omani and migrant women workers perceive and respond to the effects of the policy. The results aim to shed light on the feasibility of labor nationalization policy implementation, and how Omanization policies may lead to a more efficient and effective use of the country's human resources.

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