Delay in getting my Labour Clearances & Visa Process

Hi jkprojectmanager and welcome to Expat.com!

Hope that you'll soon be enlightened.

Harmonie.

jkprojectmanager wrote:

Dear Sir,

I have been recruited for a well reputed company in Oman in the month of June 27th. I have submitted my Attested (India/Oman Embassy) Educational & Marriage Certificate, Passport Pages, PP Size Photos, Couriered my GCC Approved Medical Check up or Test Report from India. Weekly thrice, I am in touch with the company by mails or phone calls. They have said that they have submitted all the documents for LC (Labor Clearance)on Aug 7th. Till now, they have not received the LC.

Meanwhile, there was Holy Ramadan & Eid Holidays. Is the process getting delayed due to Ramadan or Eid Holidays?

I would like to know that how long will it take to get the LC and the visa for me to go to Oman. Please advise me. I am really frustrated.

Hi jkprojectmanager,

For employers getting the Labour Clearance to recruit overseas talent is one of their biggest challenges.

This is because of the firm ‘Omanisation' percentages which have been fixed by the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Labour.

In an effort to provide equal employment opportunities to the locals, the Ministry reserves certain number of minimum jobs to be provided for Omanis across all the sectors.

In some industries such as the Banks, the Omanisation percentages are very high (up to as much as 90%), while in some others (such as in Advertising, for example), the Omanisation percentages are comparatively lower (at about 40% – 50%). That simply translates to appointing 9 Omanis for every 1 expatriate in a Bank, and about 4 Omanis for every 1 expatriate in the Advertising sector.

My guess is your “well reputed company in Oman” must be trying hard to get a clearance for your Employment Visa only after offering you the job.

If the company which has already recruited you (so do you have an ‘Offer Letter' and a proper ‘Employment Contract' signed by some authorised signatory on their official letter head clearly stating your joining date ?) then they must have made sure that they have the necessary Ministry's clearance required to appoint you – prior to your recruitment.

Else to obtain a new clearance would result in such open ended and inordinate delays as the Ministry is very strict about organisations maintaining their Omanisation targets.

Good luck.

If what is stated here is true, what are my chances of getting my employment visa/labour clearance as soon as possible. Im supposed to join a college on their September 1 opening of classes. However, even until now my visa is still being processed. May I know if there is any chance that I can get it in the soonest possible time? Im going to teach to college students and this is my first time to be doing so outside of my country.

It depends the percentage of omanisation of the employer, im still waiting for such Lc in,oman, interview held 3 months back .It is really frustrating !

Today is October 9th .. surely by now you would have got it..
yes there was a delay during that time.. it was there for everyone whose labour clearance was being sought.. things will get sorted out soon as you say your company is a big company..

Hi,

I someone can help me out...? I want to know what's really happening about my application for employment visa for oman..i already receive my offer letter last oct. i signed fot it and do the other requirements. I submitted all finish requirement on nov. 6 to oman for the application of my working visa...my employer tell me that i should receive the visa end of october..but until now i haven't receive it.. i send an email to my employer and they reply, they said that i maybe receive my visa before end of december..so which is really true?

i wanted to know how long it take for the approval of employers visa? my bad, i already resigned from my previous employer.so now it's really boring staying at home while waiting for that visa to arrived..please help me...

Hi loydrhea052011,

If your employer has said that you will receive your Employment Visa before the end of this year, then I guess you can't do much else than wait for the visa to be sent.

If you have read the above posts you will get a general idea of why such delays occur.

Too bad that you quit your job even before getting your Oman employment visa.

Hope and pray that you do get your visa within the promised time.

Good luck !

hi Sumitran..

thank you for your reply. .wel it gave me a little peace of mind. .the reason why i worried about, was when my sister and my brother in law went to work there, they also waited for just 2weeks 4 there visa. .wel there's a little bit dif. .bcoz they hired by there employer directly. .is there's any dif. between hired drctly with the person who hired by mass? .wel its really confusing. .thanks again.

jkprojectmanager wrote:

Dear Sir,

I have been recruited for a well reputed company in Oman in the month of June 27th. I have submitted my Attested (India/Oman Embassy) Educational & Marriage Certificate, Passport Pages, PP Size Photos, Couriered my GCC Approved Medical Check up or Test Report from India. Weekly thrice, I am in touch with the company by mails or phone calls. They have said that they have submitted all the documents for LC (Labor Clearance)on Aug 7th. Till now, they have not received the LC.

Meanwhile, there was Holy Ramadan & Eid Holidays. Is the process getting delayed due to Ramadan or Eid Holidays?

I would like to know that how long will it take to get the LC and the visa for me to go to Oman. Please advise me. I am really frustrated.

Dear, you need not to worry, i am also got a offer letter from oman in OCT 10, from reputed organisation through reputed indian agent but till now am also not got my visa, they force me to resign, i also resigned, hope will get it soon.

snkp111 wrote:

jkprojectmanager wrote:

Dear Sir,

I have been recruited for a well reputed company in Oman in the month of June 27th. I have submitted my Attested (India/Oman Embassy) Educational & Marriage Certificate, Passport Pages, PP Size Photos, Couriered my GCC Approved Medical Check up or Test Report from India. Weekly thrice, I am in touch with the company by mails or phone calls. They have said that they have submitted all the documents for LC (Labor Clearance)on Aug 7th. Till now, they have not received the LC.

Meanwhile, there was Holy Ramadan & Eid Holidays. Is the process getting delayed due to Ramadan or Eid Holidays?

I would like to know that how long will it take to get the LC and the visa for me to go to Oman. Please advise me. I am really frustrated.

Dear, you need not to worry, i am also got a offer letter from oman in OCT 10, from reputed organisation through reputed indian agent but till now am also not got my visa, they force me to resign, i also resigned, hope will get it soon.

Dear, when you got visa tell, i am also got offer project manager.

dear jkprojectmanager:

did you receive your LC Visa?

if it yes.. how long it took?

kind regards ely

Dear Sir,

I am from Kolkata, India. I have been recruited by a reputed company in Oman and I have received my Offer Letter on 14th: April, 2013. I have sent my original Medical reports done from GAMCA approved Medical Center on 19th: April 2019 which they have received on 2nd: April 2013. I was supposed to join this company on 13th: May 2013. Till date the company has not received my labour Clearance and also the employment Visa.

Can anyone guide me if this is normal or there is something abnormal going on.

I have already resigned from my last job anticipating my joining on 13th: May 2013.

I cannot decide what is to be done now.

Please advise.

Thanks with Regards,
Atanu C

Dear Mr. Sumitran or other Subject Experts,

Greetings!

How long (the time frame --preferably in days) does a company require to get the Labor Clearance from the ministry? What are the steps involved and what are the critical factors during this process?

I would like to know the ifs and buts. As in, say, the  situation is: a) If a company has achieved the desired 'Omanization' target; or the situation b) If a company fails to achieve the desired 'Omanization' target?

To add to the above situation, Can someone throw some light on the bargaining power based on the size of company, if exists?

Also, Is is possible for a company to issue an offer letter without getting the LC or Labor clearance before hand?

Eagerly waiting for expert views.

Hi praveenuljk,

All your queries have already been answered in great detail elsewhere in this forum. All you have to do is look them up for a clear understanding of what getting a Labour Clearance entails.

If a company holds the required clearance for the applied job, then getting an employment visa is a matter of mere days.

There is no such thing as the 'bargaining power' of the company to get new labour clearances, irrespective of the company's size or stature. All companies have to follow the same  directives of the Ministry of Manpower.

Yes, many companies send out Offer Letter even before they get the labour clearance - perhaps in the hope that they can wrangle it from the Ministry of Manpower. That is the reason for the inordinate delays, as getting new clearances are not as easy any longer. And prospective employees are kept waiting indefinitely for their employment visas.

Dear Mr. Sumitran,

I thank you for your kind reply.

Yeah the working visa takes for ever. I had the same pm with a major company in Oman then I have cancelled everything lately because of the tremendous delay in getting the visa which made me loose other opportunities. I decide to not pursue the process, I did right to not resign from my current position otherwise I would be in trouble.

Yes this delay labour clearance process also happened with me. I have been offer from one of well know company in Oman since early September. Just offer by email without any documents yet and they just asked me to wait till end of october due to Eid in the middle of October. They have not asked me to send my documents and they just mentioned pls be patient cause the labour clearance that they still doing at the moment. I am just wondering whether I still can go to this opportunity because it was long process. And because of this I have rejected other job offer..Should I wait for this or just leave this opportunity???Please advise..Thank you

Yes, I agree to the above situation. For me, now, it's almost two months that i am yet to hear something from my prospective employer. Once again, i thank you all for solving my queries.

Ryanti123 wrote:

Yes this delay labour clearance process also happened with me. I have been offer from one of well know company in Oman since early September. Just offer by email without any documents yet and they just asked me to wait till end of october due to Eid in the middle of October. They have not asked me to send my documents and they just mentioned pls be patient cause the labour clearance that they still doing at the moment. I am just wondering whether I still can go to this opportunity because it was long process. And because of this I have rejected other job offer..Should I wait for this or just leave this opportunity???Please advise..Thank you

Hi Riyanti123,

Are you from Indonesia ?

same question from me...i had an interview last year in December 2013 in Asia for job i one of Omani oil company...now still waiting for the VISA...already email my employer they said need to wait the labor clearance...
question is how long it would take till my VISA issued ? please advice, especially current condition in Oman I heard many omanization...

Dear All, I also have the same issue. This is also a well known company in Oman and, guess what i have been waiting for four months now for my visa clearance. As per the company request I have also submitted all medical, education and other documents to them. I am in touch with the company, but it seems there is a huge issue with lady clearance in oman. As the company already has it is max number of lady clearances , even though the company is trying, it is getting delay day by day.  Has anyone gone through this situation before?  Does anyone know the issue with lady clearances ? and how long it requires?

Dear krishini,

we are also facing same problem,my wife.got a job offer in well known company in oman.we also send the medical certificate and passport copy by courier.my wife suppose to join in november month.but still we are waiting for visa clearence.

now three month over,fourth month going on...we are still waiting for visa clearence...

we are touch with in HR Department.we are beliving Hope we will get the visa soon.

Dear krishini ,

I have same problem with you. I am female Indonesian by the way. I have waited for 4 months for the company to get labour clearance. My respective company keep telling me that they are working on that. But end up with nothing. very bad that I have waited for 4 months and they cant get the labour clearance. Please make sure when you get interview from Oman asking the respective company whether they have already the clearance. Ministry of manpower keep changing the rules all the times. And now they stop hiring woman expatriate for 6 months.

I decided to go to UAE now. because dont want to go to Oman anymore.Very very dissapointing...

According to my reliable sources, the Ministry of Manpower has put a hold on all employment visas for women - for a period of 6 months starting January 2014 - except for beauticians.

The authorities keep amending the rules and regulations on a very regular basis and so it is anyones guess when this new amendment would get revoked.

Best of luck to all those who are waiting for their work visas.

My only issue is why every lady should go through the same process in terms of delays, if a one particular lady has all educational and high level of experiences and companies are willing to recruit her soon, why the authorities block / delay her opportunity.. Have her experience also a gain to the country.This is a very sad and disappointing situation in oman.

On the contrary, the authorities have been mandated to provide Omanis with as many jobs as possible, even though they may not be the best candidates for the jobs.

The only way the authorities can achieve their high Omanisation targets / percentages across the various sectors is by drastically cutting down on the jobs that would otherwise be given to the expatriates.

Yes it is indeed a sad and disappointing situation in Oman, but unfortunately that is the reality. And it would only get worse in the coming years.

Krishini

You do not have to worry about it.Whole gulf is like that except UAE.
Be patient

Pls advise me,i hv got a job in a reputd compny in oman,last septmbr 26 was my joning date,but my labour clernce is not done till date,hr dprtmt told me to wait for labour clernce,hw long shud i wait,y this much of dely,pls gv me the advise

Hiiiii,
I have got selected for a reputed money exchange firm ( uae xchange ltd)in oman.I had given interview in india at their headoffice during June 8th 2014 and I got mail indicating that I was selected and on July 24th they came to my house for verification process and all.But still now I have no got my visa,and I contacted the company in oman they are saying like they have to get clearence from omani govt. And they have not still got it and they even have not sent the offer letter,they told they will sent offer after getting govt clearance . Please advice me how much more it will take to get clearence.

Dear Sumitran,
I hope you are doing well, I would be really grateful if you can help me, my question is;
My prospect employer has applied for my LC last Thursday i.e. 23rd January after completing all the requirements, can you please share an estimate time ministry takes to issue LC once the ministry is provided with all the required documents?

I shall be very thankful if you please give your feedback on this.

Thanking you in anticipation,
Tech-Base

Sumitran wrote:

On the contrary, the authorities have been mandated to provide Omanis with as many jobs as possible, even though they may not be the best candidates for the jobs.

The only way the authorities can achieve their high Omanisation targets / percentages across the various sectors is by drastically cutting down on the jobs that would otherwise be given to the expatriates.

Yes it is indeed a sad and disappointing situation in Oman, but unfortunately that is the reality. And it would only get worse in the coming years.

Dear Sumitran,
I hope you are doing well, I would be really grateful if you can help me, my question is;
My prospect employer has applied for my LC last Thursday i.e. 23rd January after completing all the requirements, can you please share an estimate time ministry takes to issue LC once the ministry is provided with all the required documents?

I shall be very thankful if you please give your feedback on this.

Thanking you in anticipation,
Tech-Base

Hi Tech-Base,

If the company has all the required documents and approvals and has met the Omanisation percentage, then to get a Labour Clearance should not take more than say, a week's time.

But then, like most other things with the Ministries anything is possible - meaning the clearance may take longer. No once can predict for sure the time duration.

Read the forum on this subject to get more clarity on the processes involved.

Good luck.

Sumitran wrote:

Hi Tech-Base,

If the company has all the required documents and approvals and has met the Omanisation percentage, then to get a Labour Clearance should not take more than say, a week's time.

But then, like most other things with the Ministries anything is possible - meaning the clearance may take longer. No once can predict for sure the time duration.

Read the forum on this subject to get more clarity on the processes involved.

Good luck.

Hi Sumitran,
your detailed and prompt reply is much appreciated.

Regards,
Tech-Base

Hi,
And, Thanks in advance tor replying to this query.

I have Indian nationality and currently located in USA.
I have already obtained the LC, and waiting for my entry visa. However, having some delays in visa as the GAMCA is expired.
Just wonder, if there is any validity for the LC I have already obtained.
Also, is there any rule on how many times (maximum) the visa application get rejected before one can no longer apply for it.
Appreciate your input in this, if any one has prior experience or known such case.

Thanks, A Shah.

Dear friends,

It will be helpful for me if anybody can let me know how long it takes to get clearance from ministry of labour/manpower of Oman as I have submitted my documents on 01/12/2014 to my company at Oman after receiving offer letter and also have done GAMCA and other required documents. Till date I have not received the clearance and visa and my company also saying to wait as it takes much time to get clearance. Please let me know what exactly the process is and how long it takes to get labour clearance and visa for me.(engineer).

Till I didnt

No idea if the process time is different for different positions. But I applied in Aug, 2014 and recieved LC in mid November. Since then I am waiting for the visa. And last month I was asked for fresh medical and that too also has been submitted.

Hi,

in reference to submitting your documents, as a fellow engineer did you submit your original degree certificates or only copies of the attested certificate.

thanks

Helloo,

I am from India, me & my spouse having offer from school in oman n we have completed all the documentation process in the month of Jan. 2015 and its May, so any one help me to tell how much time to get LC n visa.

Sir,
With due respect, please go through various posts of visa and lc. Posting your question again and again wont change the ans and it wont speed up the ans. No one can tell you that when you will receive lc or visa. Some get within a month, some get within 6 months and some wait for more than 10 months like me.