The Sultanate of Oman has rolled out its new 'Excellent Companies' initiative, designed to recognize and support high-performing businesses that contribute to national growth, economic diversification, and job creation.

The initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) in collaboration with the Tax Authority and the Ministry of Labour.

It classifies eligible companies based on performance indicators such as the age of the company since its official establishment date, market presence, exports, Omanisation rate, total revenue, and workforce size. Additional evaluation criteria include a company's digital transformation, ESG practices, and contribution to local content.

Only those companies meeting the criteria will be recognized as “Excellent” and will be able to enjoy a range of benefits, such as:

1. Preferential branding at trade fairs and access to new markets through Omani embassies.
2. Direct engagement with decision-makers and dedicated account management support.
3. Expedited licensing, customs facilitation, and faster tax refunds.
4. Access to talent development programs and opportunities for regional expansion.

The program, aligned with Oman Vision 2040, aims to create a more competitive, diversified, and sustainable private sector while driving employment opportunities for Omanis.

It also aims to help Omani firms scale, expand regionally, and adopt global best practices while strengthening their role in creating jobs and driving sustainable value addition.

As for the eligibility criteria, only companies fulfilling the following conditions will be considered:

1. The company must be registered and active in Oman under the Commercial Companies Law (Royal Decree 18/2019).
2. They must maintain a physical office in the country.
3. They must meet Omanisation targets, i.e., employ at least one Omani national.

They must fulfill at least three of the initiative’s evaluation criteria. And the authorities will assess companies in two phases, based on two sets of metrics:

Core metrics – company age, market footprint (branches), export activity, workforce size & Omanisation, and annual revenues.

Qualitative metrics – digital transformation, local content contribution, and ESG (environmental and social responsibility).

The data will be verified through official government systems such as the commercial registry, Customs, Ministry of Labour, and Tax Authority. Each company receives a composite score that determines its growth stage and the incentives it qualifies for.

• Indicative growth stages
• Start-up/Emerging: revenues OMR 100k–500k; 10–50 employees; ~10% Omanisation; 5–10 years old.
• Mature: OMR 500k–3m; 51–200 employees; ~20% Omanisation; 11–25 years.
• Sustainable/Advanced: >OMR 3m; 201+ employees; ~35% Omanisation; 26+ years.

Companies are further classified into Category A, B, or C based on total points.

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Under the initiative, “Excellent Companies” will benefit from a tiered package of incentives, including priority branding, access to new markets, talent development, direct support from decision-makers, faster licensing, customs facilitation, and tax refunds. The initiative strengthens Oman’s private sector, supports SMEs, and drives progress toward Vision 2040