The Sultanate of Oman is strategically very important in the Gulf region. Its oil reserves make it rely mainly on oil export as the main stay of its economy. There are ample jobs in the oil & gas industry in Oman. However, there are jobs in other sectors too such as Banking & Finance jobs in Oman. The country is growing fast and is pumping a lot of money in improving its infrastructure hence there are very many jobs up for grabs in the construction and infrastructure field. Despite huge dependence on its oil reserves, the economy of Oman is diversifying into other fields as well such as the production and export of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Then there is fertilizer production and light manufacturing industry that are coming up fast. The government is striving hard to develop the agriculture and fishing industry too. Thus, jobs are being created in all these sectors and are looking for trained, qualified personnel.

If you are looking for a job in Oman, you would need to get hands on information about the culture, lifestyle, working hours, job opportunities in Oman and also the kind of salary and compensation that you can look forward to while working in Oman. Earlier, the rules to get into Oman for work were very stringent. However, these have been quite relaxed now and the environment is now more conducive for foreign workers to come and work in Oman. People are hospitable and friendly and work conditions are also expatriate-friendly. Thus, now, Oman is populated by a lot of foreign workers who come here to make a living and huge savings. But these foreign workers remain in Oman only on a temporary basis and are almost never allowed to become the part of the native Omani population.

The government of Oman is also running programs to make the local Omanis self-sufficient. Money is being invested in the education of the local population to make them qualified enough to fill vacancies. However, there are some jobs that would always require foreign population to fill them. Thus, the demand for foreign workers is not going to go down in Oman. At least for many years to come, companies in Oman will continue to absorb foreign population for various posts. However, depending on the work load, demand in a few sectors may go down such as the construction and infrastructure field. As more and more projects head completion, the demand for workers is falling. But there are a few other sectors where the demand will never go down such as banking, manufacturing etc. These are growing sectors and would require expatriate workers at a quick pace. Then there are jobs on the managerial, technological and professional level that show no sign of dwindling.

In Oman, foreign workers are dealt in a very fair manner, although controlled. They are paid well for their services and at the end of their tenure are given a hefty good-bye amount. In fact, money is the biggest puller when it comes to working in Oman. There are no personal taxes levied on the salary that one earns. That means, that all you earn is for you to keep. This amounts to huge savings while working in Oman. Not just this, the salaries offered are anyway high and can be compared to the salaries offered in the UK or US. To attract and retain talent, employers in Oman offer competitive salaries to the right candidates. This makes working in Oman very lucrative. In fact, the main purpose of working in Oman for most expatriates is to save up money while working here. Having said this, the lifestyle offered in Oman is also very luxurious.

If you want a job in Oman, you would need a sponsor in Oman. Generally, your employer becomes your sponsor. The company that hires you will have a PRO department that will handle the formalities of your smooth transition. They will also act as your guide in the city. Since you would need a lot of hand-holding in the beginning, it is good to have someone to guide you while you are in the city.

When you come to Oman to work, you will notice a lot of cultural changes. The cultural differences will be shocking as it is a very conservative country. For instance, homosexuality and live-in relationships are considered legal crimes. Proximity between male and female colleagues is not encouraged at all. Also, there is stringent punishment for small crimes. This has helped in containing the crime rate but one has to ensure that one remains on the right side of the law while working in Oman. Once you take care of these things, you will enjoy working in Oman. If you area family person and want to take your family along, it is advisable to find out as much as you can about before moving them there. You can join expat forums to get a first hand idea. Overall, you will enjoy working in Oman if you approach the country with an open mind.

Geetika Jain writes on behalf of NaukriGulf.com, a leading job portal for jobs in Gulf Region, Jobs in Dubai http://www.naukrigulf.com/, Middle East jobs. www.Naukri.com's foray into the Middle East is an Endeavour to provide established client base with services that best meet their international requirements as well as expand our operations on to a global arena.