Oman has launched an enhanced social insurance maternity benefits scheme including paternity leave allowance, benefitting both private and public sector employees in full-time employment, as announced on July 18, 2024. 

The new social protection law, effective from July 19, 2024 across the Sultanate, aims to significantly enhance job opportunities for women employees in the region. The initiative is a part of Oman’s comprehensive social protection reforms, developed with support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and adopted in July 2023, it provides Omani and non-Omani working mothers in full-time jobs with 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, aligning with ILO standards. It also includes up to 98 days of unpaid, job-protected leave that can be shared between parents. The Social Protection Fund will cover pension contributions during maternity leave to safeguard women's future pensions. Additionally, for the first time, Oman has introduced seven days of paid paternity leave for all employed Omani and non-Omani fathers at full salary, extendable by up to 98 days of unpaid, job-protected leave. 

Furthermore, maternity and paternity leave will now be financed by all employers through a 1 per cent wage contribution to the Social Protection Fund. This initiative marks a significant step towards gender equality and underscores Oman’s commitment to family and workforce well-being.

Previously, women workers had seven weeks of paid maternity leave, with costs borne by employers, which discouraged hiring women. Men had no paternity leave, reinforcing women's traditional role as primary caregivers. The new paid paternity leave allows fathers to share childcare responsibilities and bond with their newborns.

The updated system aligns with key requirements of the ILO Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183), ensuring coverage for migrant workers alongside nationals. This follows similar maternity insurance legislation recently announced by the KSA, as well as maternity reforms in the UAE. 

During the media briefing in Muscat, Fasil Al-Farsi, CEO of the Social Protection Fund said, “The introduction of the parental leave branch under the Social Protection Law is not only aimed at increasing women's participation in the workforce but also at improving the well-being of families and ensuring the future prosperity of our nation. Ensuring close alignment with national objectives, international social security standards of the International Labour Organisation, and best global practices are guiding principles of all social protection reforms in Oman.”.

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Peter Rademaker, ILO Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States added, “Expanding maternity protection can be a source of profound transformation for labour markets in the Middle East. Increasing female economic participation is a defining challenge for the region in its quest to achieve more equal societies and more productive economies. Omani constituents recognize the integral role of maternity insurance in achieving this objective. We congratulate Oman for setting a new regional benchmark in this area and welcome further efforts that are underway to expand gender transformative labour protection and care policies.”

Shabib Al-Busaidi, Deputy CEO for Social Protection at the Social Protection Fund also commented, “The new scheme ensures that both mothers and fathers receive paid leave and fully contributed care leave, granting them essential time for critical caregiving responsibilities. It underscores our steadfast commitment to supporting all workers, regardless of nationality, be they Omani or non-Omani, by providing the necessary time to care for their loved ones.”

The Sultanate recently implemented a new unified social insurance system covering sickness, maternity, paternity, and employment injury for nationals and migrant workers in both public and private sectors.