Oman: Residence permits by type of permit (employment/ family reunion/domestic labour) (2007-2013)

Type/purpose of permit	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Employment	399,070	490,883	495,649	625,495	621,907	764,872	691,604
Family Joining (family reunion)	97,485	113,005	16,696	84,542	74,606	78,178	88,493
Domestic Servant	43,968	54,962	56,466	62,360	66,196	73,537	74,817
Business	1,049	1,785	2,210	3,556	2,071	2,727	2,345
Total	541,572	660,635	571,021	775,953	764,780	919,314	857,259

Source: Royal Oman Police
ANNEXED NOTE

1. Technical Notes and Definitions

The present data is the sum of the figures of residency permits delivered each given year under the following categories: “First issuance”, “Renewal” and “Transfer of sponsorship”, as published in NCSI’s Statistical Yearbooks in section “Social Services and Security”.
The Directorate General of Civil Status of the Royal Oman Police is responsible for delivering residence cards (Iqama) to foreign residents in the following categories:
-employed foreign nationals,
-wife and children (below age 21) of employed foreign nationals,
-brothers and sisters of employed foreign nationals (below age 18)
-foreign wife of an Omani national
Nationals of other GCC countries are exempted from the obligation to hold a residence permit.
Employment and family reunion residency permits are valid for 2 years.

2. Institution which provides data

National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI)

3. Data availability

The present data is taken from 2009 to 2014 Statistical Yearbooks, section “Social Services and Security”, available online on NSCI’s website. Each thematic section is presented in PDF format.
2009′ to 2014′ SYB are available at:
http://www.ncsi.gov.om/NCSI_website/N_ListPublications.aspx?view=21

Date of access: December 2014.