Oman’s private sector drives Omani employment growth as jobs rise 8.6%

Oman’s private sector continued to emerge as the main engine of employment for Omani nationals in the first half of 2026, with private-sector jobs rising sharply while government employment remained largely stable.

Data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) showed that the number of Omanis employed in the private sector reached 441,737 by the end of June 2026, an 8.6% increase from a year earlier. This represents an increase of around 35,000 jobs over the 12-month period.

By comparison, the number of Omani nationals employed in the government sector rose just 0.5% year-on-year to 392,962, adding approximately 2,000 jobs.

Across all sectors, the number of employed Omani nationals reached 896,370 at the end of June, up 3.7% compared with the same period last year. The figures indicate that almost all of the net increase in Omani employment came from the private sector.

The private sector now employs 48,775 more Omanis than the government sector, reinforcing its growing role in absorbing new entrants to the labour market and supporting the Sultanate’s efforts to diversify employment opportunities beyond traditional public-sector jobs.

The shift comes amid Oman’s continued efforts to strengthen private-sector employment through Omanisation policies, targeted training programmes, wage support measures and sector-specific localisation initiatives under Oman Vision 2040.

Sales jobs record strongest growth

Employment growth was recorded across several occupational categories during the period, with sales roles registering the strongest annual increase.

The number of Omanis employed in sales occupations rose 34.7% year-on-year to 23,378, reflecting increased demand across retail, wholesale and commercial activities.

Employment among scientific, technical and human sciences technicians increased 6.4% to 97,968, while service occupations grew 6.8% to 93,796.

Clerical roles remained the largest employment category for Omani nationals, with employment rising 6% to 228,111. The number of Omanis working as scientific, technical and human sciences specialists increased 3% to 146,720.

However, employment continued to decline in some traditional occupations. The number of Omanis working in agriculture, livestock, hunting and fishing fell 3%, while employment in industrial, chemical and food industries occupations declined 1.8%.

Muscat remains largest employment hub

Muscat continued to account for the largest number of employed Omani nationals, with 204,309 workers at the end of June.

North Batinah followed with 170,452 Omani workers, while Dakhliyah recorded 112,466.

Muscat also recorded one of the strongest annual growth rates, with Omani employment increasing 5.7%. North Batinah and South Batinah each recorded 4.2% growth, while Dakhliyah rose 3.5% and Musandam increased 2.4%.

The latest employment figures point to a continued transition in Oman’s labour market, with private companies playing an increasingly important role in creating jobs for nationals. The trend is likely to remain central to the country’s workforce and economic diversification agenda as Oman seeks to increase private-sector participation and reduce reliance on public-sector employment.