Hiring a domestic worker in Oman is a process governed by two separate authorities, and understanding that division is the first step toward a legal and smooth hire. The Ministry of Labour licenses recruitment offices and issues the work permit that must exist before anything else can proceed read more . The Royal Oman Police then issues the actual housemaid visa and residence card. Families who attempt to shortcut this sequence, often through visit-visa arrangements or informal intermediaries, expose themselves and the worker to serious legal risk. The straightforward path is also the safest one.
The legal framework changed significantly in October 2025, when Ministerial Decision No. 574 took effect. This regulation sets binding minimum standards that cannot be negotiated away in a contract. Working hours are capped at 12 per day, with at least eight uninterrupted hours of rest. Workers are entitled to one paid rest day each week, no fewer than 21 days of paid annual leave, and up to 30 days of paid sick leave per year with a medical certificate. Wages must be paid within seven days of the due date, and deductions are limited to a closed list of cases and cannot exceed one quarter of the monthly wage. Passport confiscation is explicitly prohibited, as is charging the worker any recruitment fee.
The practical hiring process begins with selecting a Ministry of Labour-licensed recruitment office. The office obtains the work permit in the sponsor’s name, after which the family applies for the visa through the Royal Oman Police. The worker must be at least 21 years old, and the visa is valid for two years and renewable. Before travel, the worker completes a medical examination in her home country. After arrival, the residence card is issued, and the family can verify status through the Royal Oman Police e-services portal. Recruitment timelines vary by nationality and agency, typically running from four to eight weeks for Filipino workers.
Costs fall into two categories: one-time upfront expenses and recurring monthly salary. Upfront costs in 2026 run roughly 650 to 1, 300 Omani rials depending on nationality, covering the work permit, agency fee, visa, medical tests, and insurance. Filipino workers sit at the higher end, between 791 and 1, 291 rials, while Indian and Bangladeshi workers tend to be lower. The monthly salary itself has no statutory minimum for domestic workers, but market rates generally fall between 100 and 150 rials. A 2026 Sri Lankan job order lists a minimum of 110 rials for an inexperienced housemaid on a two-year contract. Filipino workers command higher floors because their government imposes one, generally around 154 rials.
Nationality affects both cost and experience. Filipino workers are often chosen for English proficiency and formal training, and their deployment requires an Overseas Employment Certificate from the Philippine authorities. Sri Lankan workers require a No Objection Certificate from their embassy in Muscat before the Royal Oman Police will issue a visa, a procedure introduced to curb irregular migration. Employers should confirm that any agency they use is fully aware of these sending-country requirements, because missing documentation delays the entire process.
What should a family verify before signing? The contract must be in writing in Arabic and registered electronically with the Ministry of Labour, and it must state the monthly wage and payment date clearly. The employer is obligated to provide suitable accommodation, food, medical insurance, and transport to and from the workplace if the worker lives elsewhere. A dedicated file must be kept for each worker containing passport and residence copies, leave records, and deduction notices, retained for at least one year after the employment ends. The worker keeps her own passport. These requirements are not optional, and inspectors can request the file.
The relationship between employer and domestic worker is rarely simple, and many households treat their staff with genuine care. But care is not the same as compliance. The families who hire well are those who treat the legal requirements as the floor rather than the ceiling, register the contract, pay on time by bank transfer, respect the rest day, and remember that the woman in their home is a worker with enforceable rights. That approach protects everyone involved.