Oman’s labor law outlines annual leave rights for expatriate workers

The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment of Pakistan has released guidelines that clarify the labor rights of Pakistani nationals working in Oman. The document focuses on annual leave, travel benefits and end‑of‑service payments, drawing directly from Oman’s Labour Law issued under Royal Decree No. 53/2023.

According to Article 78 of the Omani law, every employee is entitled to a minimum of 30 days of paid annual leave. Workers become eligible for this leave after completing six months of continuous service with the same employer. Unused leave can be carried forward, but the carry‑over is capped at 30 days unless operational needs prevent the employee from taking the leave, in which case a larger balance may be allowed. Employees may also combine separate leave periods if both parties agree.

A specific provision benefits non‑Omani staff: during their annual leave they are granted a round‑trip air ticket to return to their home country and come back to work. The law explicitly states that workers cannot waive their right to annual leave, although the Minister of Labour may introduce alternative leave schemes for certain sectors if those schemes provide greater benefits.

Further details are set out in Article 81. Employers may split the 30‑day entitlement into several blocks to suit business requirements, but this flexibility does not apply to young workers. If operational demands arise, an employer may postpone an employee’s leave for up to six months. The legislation also mandates that each employee must take at least 30 days of leave within any two‑year period to ensure adequate rest.

When an employee agrees in writing, an employer may compensate for unused leave by paying an amount based on the worker’s basic salary. If the employment relationship ends before the employee has taken all accrued leave, the employer must pay the full wage for the remaining days.