Hiring a Housemaid in Oman: Permits, Contracts, and Protections

Hiring a domestic worker in Oman begins with a work permit from the Ministry of Labour, a service now available online through the ministry’s electronic portal and Sanad service centres. The listed basic fee is 101 Omani rials for one to three workers in eligible occupations this guide , with approval generally taking between one day and one week when documents are complete. Only after this permit is issued can the employer proceed to the Royal Oman Police for the housemaid visa and residence card. Skipping this sequence through visit visas or informal intermediaries creates legal exposure for both household and worker.

The employment relationship itself is governed by Ministerial Decision No. 574 of 2025, which took effect on 13 October 2025 and applies to domestic workers and similar categories. The regulation mandates a written contract in Arabic, registered electronically with the ministry, specifying wages, working hours, and rest periods. Any agreement that reduces or waives the rights it guarantees is void. Employers may grant additional benefits, but they cannot contract below the statutory floor.

Working hours may not exceed twelve per day, including rest and meal breaks totaling at least eight hours daily. Workers receive one paid weekly rest day, no fewer than twenty-one days of paid annual leave, and up to thirty days of paid sick leave per year with a certified medical report. Wages must be paid in Omani rials within seven days of the due date, documented by signed receipt or bank transfer, with deductions capped at one-quarter of the monthly wage.

Accommodation standards are detailed. The worker’s living space must be well ventilated, lit, air-conditioned, with sound doors and windows, proper bedding, a wardrobe, and a sanitary bathroom. If the worker lives outside the employer’s home, transport to and from the workplace must be provided free of charge, and health insurance coverage is mandatory. Employers must maintain a dedicated file for each worker containing passport and residence copies, leave records, and deduction notices, kept for at least one year after the employment ends.

Passport retention is prohibited without the worker’s written consent, and employers cannot collect recruitment fees from the worker or employ anyone under twenty-one. Inspectors may visit a worker’s residence only after obtaining permission from the Public Prosecution, a procedural hurdle that places the burden of compliance squarely on the employer’s own record-keeping.

Salary has no statutory minimum for domestic workers, but registered job orders reveal market floors. Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau listings for Oman show a minimum of 110 to 120 Omani rials monthly for inexperienced housemaids on two-year contracts, with food and accommodation free and both-way air tickets included. Filipino workers command higher rates because their government requires a minimum of USD 400 per month for Gulf contracts, roughly 154 Omani rials, after declining to enforce a proposed increase to USD 500 in the region. Market guides place general housemaid salaries between 60 and 150 rials depending on nationality and experience.

What should a family verify before signing? The contract must be written, registered, and explicit about wages and conditions. Confirm the recruitment office holds a valid Ministry of Labour licence, and treat cash-only arrangements, prices far below market range, or any suggestion of visit-visa hiring as red flags. The regulation gives both sides a clearer framework than ever before, but the kitchen and the back bedroom remain private spaces where compliance depends on whether employers choose to follow the rules. Care is not the same as compliance, and the woman in the home is a worker with enforceable rights.