Huge construction projects in the Middle East are fuelling a massive increase in the number of expat workers.
In Oman alone, the number of expats workers has soared by 167% in the past 10 years – and the government agrees that development projects would be at a standstill without the help of outsiders.
Figures from Oman’s National Centre for Statistics and Information show that in 2003, the country’s population was 2,340,815 – comprising 1,781,558 Omanis and 559,257 expats.
In March 2014, the population hit 3,987,033, with 2,226,033 Omanis and 1,761,000 expats making up the numbers.
Redha Juma Mohammed Ali Al Saleh, the OCCI’s vice-chairman for administration and finance affairs, explains that the huge surge in the number of expats is attributed to several large-scale infrastructure projects all running at the same time.
Expats are really needed
“Oman needs these expats,” he said. “We could not take on these projects side by side without their help. As these projects, like redeveloping the airport and building new roads, are finished we expect to see a large dip in the number of expats in the country.”
Most of the expats are based in the capital Muscat – where the figures suggest more than 616,500 expats are living and working.
The rest are spread across other regions.
Nearly 170,000 expats are in North Al Batinah, with a similar number in Dhofar.
Around 65,000 expats also live and work in each of Al Dakhiliyah, South Al Batinah, South Al Sharqiyah and North Al Sharqiyah.
Between 10,000 and 40,000 expats are located in each of Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, Al Wusta and Musandam.
More than half of all expats work in construction – almost 666,000 compared with just 57,500 Omanis.
Who works where
Others work in:
- 185,000 expats work in wholesale and retail
- 182,000 expats are in the manufacturing sector
- 90,000 expats work in hotels and restaurants
- 65,500 expats have jobs in real estate
- 33,500 expats are in transport, storage and communications services
- 16,500 expats work in mines or quarries
- 34,500 expats have posts in community and personal service
- Just over 3,000 expats work in banking and finance
“Our goal is for the Omanisation of many of these jobs in future years as the construction projects wind down and the expats leave,” said Redha Juma Mohammed Ali Al Saleh.
This is a common policy across several Gulf States, like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, which are all seeking to increase the percentage of nationals working in key business sectors.
