Latest news with #MahadbinSaeedBa'awin
Muscat Daily
26-05-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
New Oman national strategy to boost workforce skills
Muscat – Ministry of Labour launched the National Strategy for Occupational Standards on Monday, aimed at improving workforce skills, aligning training with labour market needs and improving professional practices in Oman. The strategy was unveiled under the patronage of H E Dr Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, Minister of Labour. It seeks to build an integrated professional system that supports productivity and meets the requirements of a dynamic labour market as part of the sultanate's broader economic development goals. H E Sayyid Salim bin Muslim al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Human Resources Development, said the ministry developed the strategy in collaboration with public and private stakeholders in alignment with national priorities. H E Sayyid Salim bin Muslim al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Human Resources Development 'Professional standards are the foundation for enhancing workforce quality across sectors, improving training outcomes and boosting productivity,' he said. 'Establishment of sector-specific skills units is key to ensuring the strategy addresses each industry's needs.' He also highlighted the progress made in implementing a professional licence card system under the broader National Professional Accreditation System. The system aims to verify individuals' competencies and ensure professional practices meet required standards. 'This system represents a critical step towards labour market governance, reinforcing the quality of professional practices and boosting employer and societal confidence in national talent,' he added. Zaher bin Abdullah al Sheikh, Project Director of the strategy, said, 'The ministry is working to develop and implement occupational standards across all sectors to promote quality, productivity and professional excellence. We are ready to provide technical and logistical support to ensure effective implementation.'
Gulf Insider
27-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Oman Plans to Raise the Minimum National Wage to 400 Riyals
Oman is considering raising the minimum national wage to OMR400 (about Dh3,815), instead of the current OMR325, according to Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, the Minister of Labour. Ba'awan told a local radio station that the OMR400 figure is preferred, the final decision will be subject to further evaluation and negotiation.'As a government, we tend to favour setting the minimum wage at 400 Omani rials. However, this remains a proposal subject to further evaluation,' Dr. Ba'owain said. He explained that the proposal will be thoroughly assessed by the Financial and Economic Committee, the Council of Ministers, and all relevant stakeholders before any decision is minister further said that the proposed range of OMR360 to OMR400 was determined through collaboration between the technical team of the National Employment Programme and the Directorate General of Planning and labour market announcement follows previous statements by the Minister at the 'Together we Progress' forum last month, where he indicated that the Labour Ministry was studying a move to raise the minimum wage to the same OMR360-400 range. At that forum he stated, 'We are currently reviewing the minimum wage. We have sent an initial draft to the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers. The hike in the minimum wage depends on the average of monthly wages and the annual inflation rate and it may range between OMR360 and OMR400.'At present, the minimum wage for Omani workers stands at RO325, irrespective of qualifications. The Minister assured that the proposed wage increase is driven by economic factors rather than a desire to reduce wages. 'Our goal is not to reduce wages. This is purely an economic matter based on supply and demand,' he pointed out. Last week, the minister announced its operational plan for 2025, which aims to create 45,000 job opportunities. The plan includes 11,000 training and qualification opportunities for job seekers, approximately 10,000 job opportunities within the government sector, and 24,000 job opportunities in the private sector. Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, the Minister of Labour, has affirmed that the Ministry's commitment to training programmes linked to employment, on-the-job training, and wage support. These initiatives will be delivered through various channels, including support for small and medium enterprises holding Riyada cards, large companies, start-ups, freelance work, and temporary contracts within government companies for replacement purposes. The Ministry is actively monitoring companies participating in the training-linked-employment programme, with a compliance rate exceeding 82 per cent. Oman has begun setting a minimum wage as part of its social and economic reform policies over the past decades, in line with the drive to improve citizens' living standards and support social stability. In the 1990s, with the development of the Omani economy and increased reliance on the local workforce, the government began developing policies aimed at reducing the gap between wages and the cost of living. Following the Arab Spring protests in 2011 and growing social demands, the government issued a decision to raise the minimum wage to approximately 200 Omani riyals, representing a qualitative shift in improving workers' income. With increasing economic pressures and rising living costs, the minimum wage was raised again in 2013 to 325 Omani riyals. Following this, the minimum wage continued to evolve at a slow pace due to the economic recession witnessed in the region and globally, with the government committed to updating wage policies in line with market changes and challenges. Nabhan bin Ahmed al Battashi, Chairman of the General Federation of Oman Workers (GFOW), stressed that the raising the minimum wage requires a thorough examination of references and indicators to establish a reasonable figure capable of withstanding economic challenges in the future. 'Meetings are still ongoing within the Dialogue Committee, with plans for meetings to finalize a specific figure to present to the Council of Ministers,' he explained. Dr Mohamad Al Mushaiki, academic and researcher specialising in public opinion and mass communication, said that it's time to raise the minimum wage for Omanis to OMR500, up from OMR325. 'A minimum salary for university graduates must also be set at OMR700. Above all, we hope to adopt the job seekers' benefit as soon as possible, so that Omani society, in all its segments, can enjoy the social protection umbrella without exception,' he said. Also read: Oman GDP Up 1.7% to $99.5bn
Times of Oman
18-03-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Ministry of Labour targets 45,000 jobs in 2025
Muscat : The Ministry of Labour in the Sultanate of Oman has announced its operational plan for 2025, which aims to create 45,000 job opportunities. This was revealed during their annual conference held in Muscat this evening. The plan includes 11,000 training and qualification opportunities for job seekers, approximately 10,000 job opportunities within the government sector, and 24,000 job opportunities in the private sector. His Excellency Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, the Minister of Labour, emphasised the Ministry's commitment to training programmes linked to employment, on-the-job training, and wage support. These initiatives will be delivered through various channels, including support for small and medium enterprises holding Riyada cards, large companies, start-ups, freelance work, and temporary contracts within government companies for replacement purposes. The Ministry is actively monitoring companies participating in the training-linked-employment programme, with a compliance rate exceeding 82 percent. The Minister also stated that the total employment target for 2024 reached 36,615 individuals, surpassing the initial target of 35,000 job opportunities. Furthermore, the number of active beneficiaries of the job security benefit reached approximately 17,215 individuals by the end of 2024, including 11,758 males. As part of ongoing efforts to improve government performance, the "Individual Excellence" system has been implemented in 67 government entities, including the introduction of 45 new features to enhance the work experience and individual and institutional evaluation. Government departments will be assessed based on operational speed, leadership quality, and job satisfaction, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of government work and raising overall performance standards. During the conference, the Minister addressed the efforts of the National Employment Programme, which aims to integrate educational outcomes with labour market needs. This is achieved by analysing and diagnosing the employment system and providing innovative solutions to enhance its efficiency and bridge existing gaps. The programme has contributed to the localisation of 2,800 leadership and mid-level positions in industrial estates, in collaboration with the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn). Additionally, the programme has launched several advanced digital tools to improve labour market efficiency, including the "Tawteen" platform for managing employment in economic sectors, the "Marsad" platform for analysing labour market data, and the "Khuta" platform for assisting Omani youth in making sustainable career decisions. The Minister emphasised that employment governance committees, established in 17 key economic sectors, are working to achieve qualitative localisation goals and enhance employment opportunities for Omanis. Work is also underway to establish specialised companies to enable job seekers to enter new sectors, such as information technology and periodic maintenance, which manages maintenance contracts in industrial zones. Regarding entrepreneurship support, the Ministry has launched an integrated package to support freelance work, including financing, training, social protection, and consulting, as well as supporting Omani freelance platforms. The Ministry has announced funding for the pilot phase of the "Smart Management" project, in collaboration with the private sector, to enhance digital governance in human resources management. Three pilot applications will be designed to test artificial intelligence solutions, build a visual identity, and establish a digital knowledge base. The "Waiting List" initiative will also be launched to facilitate employment opportunities through smart systems. The Minister confirmed that the Ministry continues to adopt global best practices in digital transformation, explaining that these efforts will contribute to raising the efficiency of government work, improving the employee experience, and ensuring the integration of operational policies between the public and private sectors.
