Oman institutes its first unemployment insurance

MUSCAT, Oman (ILO News) – The Sultanate of Oman has instituted its first unemployment insurance scheme, through a royal decree. Decree No.82/2020, signed by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said on 17 August, legally institutes the Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI)’s Employment Security Scheme for all Omani workers in the public, private, military and security sectors. The scheme will come into force on 1 November.

The move places Oman alongside a number of other countries in the Arab States region with similar unemployment insurance schemes, such as Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

PASI, Oman’s social insurance fund that covers all Omanis working both at home, within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and abroad (optional), as well as the self-employed, already provides long-term social insurance benefits during old age, death and disability, as well as coverage for employment-related injuries and occupational diseases.

Since 2015, the ILO has worked closely with PASI, the Ministry of Labour and with social partners represented in PASI’s Board of Directors in designing and establishing the new unemployment insurance scheme.

“The economic and health crisis experienced around the world over the past period has served as a springboard for some states to enact new legislation aimed at protecting societies from the effects of the crisis,” explained PASI General Manager Dr. Faisal Abdullah Al Farsi in an interview with the ILO.


Source: ILO