Muscat: Amid reports of expatriates being replaced in Oman due to the Omanization and cost-cutting measures being driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian women in secretarial positions outshine in the job market as they got undetected by the radars of Omanisation and work retrenchment, local media reported on Monday.
Indian women’s dedication to working, and the bonds established over years of working together in close proximity as executive secretaries and personal assistants, has tipped the scales in their favour.
Samir Al Zadjali, who heads a real estate company in Muscat, was quoted by Gulf News as saying that it is difficult these days to find someone who can do secretarial work for the salary he pays to his current secretary. “She has been working with me for more than 10 years and she knows the job very well. So, why should I replace her by paying more for someone I can not work for sure?” Samir said.
According to 2020 Statistical Yearbook data from the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI) Oman, Indian women topped the list of expatriate women working in the government sector.
While the big banks, telecommunications and airlines are on the verge of eliminating expatriates, especially women, there are a few lucky ones who still serve as executive coordinators or secretaries in these industries.
Oman provide more than 40,000 jobs for Omanis in 2021
More than 40,000 Omani job seekers got work in less than a year, Oman News Agency reported.
“The government Omanisation initiatives have resulted in 40,594 jobseekers being hired until mid-December 2021. Those include 5,910 Omanis with employment procedures still underway,” ONA said.
During the past year, the Sultanate has Omanized several professions including management positions in gas stations, roles in optics stores, drivers of vehicles transporting fuel, agricultural materials, foodstuffs, administrative and financial roles in insurance companies, sales, accounting, administration and jobs Finance in malls, auditor positions in car agencies and companies that sell auto parts.
