Seasonal work in Oman: winter tourism, Khareef season and date harvest

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How does the season work in Oman?

The sultanate combines two opposite tourist seasons: winter, from October to April, in the north of the country, and the Khareef, the summer monsoon that turns the Dhofar region green. The date harvest, in midsummer, is the main agricultural high point.

As elsewhere in the Gulf, most hotel and farm workers are foreign, while the Omanisation policy reserves certain occupations for nationals. Europeans mostly target hotel management, cooking, diving, specialist guiding or technical supervision roles.

Which regions hire?

Muscat concentrates international hotels, restaurants and cruise calls. Musandam attracts divers and dhow cruises, Nizwa and Jebel Akhdar draw mountain tourism, and the Wahiba Sands host luxury desert camps throughout the winter months.

Salalah and the Dhofar region live to the rhythm of the Khareef, which attracts many visitors from neighbouring countries. Palm groves in Al Batinah and the interior, around Nizwa and Ibri, employ the labour needed to harvest and pack dates.

What is the calendar?

The northern high season runs from October to April, with cruises and Muscat's winter festivals. The Dhofar Khareef generally covers late June to late September, accompanied by a very popular tourism festival in Salalah.

Fresh dates are mostly harvested from June to September, depending on varieties and altitude. Ramadan and Eid also create peaks in retail, restaurants and hotels, as well as strong demand for dates across the country.

Which jobs are advertised?

Recent hotel listings from groups such as Marriott include restaurant managers, housekeeping managers, assistant bar managers, food and beverage managers and assistant front office managers. Palm groves employ climbers, pickers, sorters and packing workers.

Who can work in Oman?

No seasonal visa or working holiday scheme is open to Europeans. Under Article 28 of the Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023, a foreigner may not start work without a work permit obtained by an authorised employer.

What are the permit conditions?

The employer must obtain approval from the Ministry of Labour, show that no suitable Omani is available and meet its Omanisation quota. The worker must have entered legally, be medically fit, pass a professional exam where required and hold a contract.

The permit ties the employee to the employer, who may not let them work for others without electronic approval from the ministry. Certain occupations are closed to foreigners by ministerial decision as part of the Omanisation policy.

Can workers change employer?

Transfer rules exist: the occupation must not be reserved for Omanis, the employee must consent, have worked at least six months for the employer and hold a permit with at least six months left before it expires.

Can a tourist visa be used for work?

No. Tourist visas and visa-free entry do not allow any paid activity, whether in a desert camp, a dive centre or a palm grove. Offenders face deportation and a ban on returning to Oman for a set period.

What pay and conditions apply?

The minimum wage of 325 Omani rials, announced in 2020, applies to Omani citizens. There is no published general minimum for foreigners, whose pay depends on the contract, often supplemented by housing, meals and flights.

What hours does the Labour Law set?

Article 70 sets eight actual hours a day and forty a week, with a one-hour break. During Ramadan, Muslim workers work at most six hours a day. Overtime is paid at least 25 percent extra by day and 50 percent at night.

Does seasonal work have specific rules?

Yes. Article 73 allows seasonal employment to be excluded from the working time limits of Articles 70 and 71 by ministerial decision. Seasonal workers nonetheless keep other protections, including weekly rest and the ban on forced labour.

Which other rights should be known?

The law guarantees two consecutive weekly rest days, thirty days of annual leave, a probation period of no more than three months and an end-of-service gratuity of at least one basic monthly wage per year worked.

How to find a seasonal job in Oman

1. Choose an occupation not reserved for Omanis: hotel management, cooking, diving or entertainment.
2. Browse Muscat hotel vacancies on GulfTalent and hotel group career pages.
3. Apply in summer for winter, or in spring for the Salalah Khareef.
4. Insist on a written contract stating pay, housing, meals, hours and return ticket.
5. Let the employer obtain recruitment approval and the work permit.
6. Complete the medical check and enter Oman legally on the work visa.
7. Keep the contract and payslips, and keep hold of your passport.

Which rights and documents matter?

Which mistakes and scams should be avoided?

• Paying recruitment fees, which Article 31 prohibits.
• Handing your passport to the employer without written consent, contrary to Article 6.
• Working during the Khareef on a tourist visa.
• Accepting a job in an occupation reserved for Omanis, which risks non-renewal.
• Answering offers received by messaging apps that demand payment for a visa.

Frequently asked questions about seasonal work in Oman

The answers below cover the questions foreign candidates ask most often: transfers between employers, the minimum wage, the Khareef season in Salalah and the return home at the end of an employment contract.

Does the 325-rial minimum wage apply to foreigners?

No. Announced in 2020 by the Ministry of Labour, it applies to Omani nationals regardless of their qualifications. For foreigners, pay is set by the contract, so it is important to also check housing, meals and flights.

When does hiring for the Salalah Khareef start?

Recruitment usually takes place in spring, so that visas are ready before late June. Because the season is short, contracts often cover a few months, with the workload peaking during the Dhofar tourism festival.

How many transfers can an employer accept?

Transfers to or from an establishment are capped at 50 percent of its workforce per calendar year. The new employer must pay at least the previous wage and comply with the Wage Protection System requirements.

Who pays the return trip at the end?

The Labour Law requires the employer to repatriate a foreign worker within sixty days of the end of the contract. Foreign workers are also entitled to a return ticket home to take their annual leave in their country of origin.