The Ministry of Labour, Oman has rolled out revised guidelines for the Wage Protection System under Ministerial Resolution No. 729/2024, published at the end of 2024. 

The move aims to tighten labour market regulation and help employers avoid financial penalties, and will be effective from September 2025 wages (payable in October).

All employers in Oman must transfer salaries for at least 75% of their workforce through the WPS. By November 2025 wages (payable in December), the threshold will rise to 90%.

The Ministry stressed that these measures are designed to guarantee timely, transparent salary payments and safeguard workers’ rights.

“Adhering to these requirements is essential for safeguarding workers’ rights and promoting transparent wage practices in Oman’s labour market,” it added.

The updated framework, aligned with the labour law issued under Royal Decree No. 53/2023, introduces:

Introduction of shorter timelines for wage payments, mandatory transfers through banks or financial institutions regulated by the Central Bank of Oman, some additional exemptions to the WPS, and stronger oversight from the Labour Ministry.

Who is exempt?

The Ministry has listed certain employers who will not be required to use the WPS if:

• Labour disputes lead to work stoppages over 30 days.
• Work is suspended for reasons beyond the employer’s control for over 30 days.
• Absconding cases are approved after 30 days.
• Workers are newly hired and haven’t completed 30 days of service.
• Workers are on unpaid leave.

The WPS tracks electronic salary transfers to private sector employees, ensuring payments are made directly to workers’ regulated bank or financial institution accounts within the legally prescribed period.

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Recent data by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) shows that the total number of Omani workers across all sectors reached 8,64,600 by the end of June 2025. And one of the key requirements of Omani workforce is job security, and ensuring effective wage protection strategy with stricter regulations for employers is one way to ensure that.