Oman
Sultanate of Oman · Capital: Muscat
Oman offers the Gulf's tax-free salaries and safety in a quieter, more affordable and culturally rich setting than its flashier neighbours. Most expats arrive on employer-sponsored work visas; the Golden Residency (relaunched August 2025, from OMR 200,000) grants 10-year stays. From 1 January 2028 a 5% personal income tax applies to income above OMR 42,000 a year, the first in the Gulf. Dramatic mountains, coastline and desert are on the doorstep.
Migration statistics
Who is arriving
Top source countries and the make-up of recent arrivals into Oman.
Policy overview
5 visa routes into Oman
Eligibility, fees, processing times and whether each route leads to permanent residence.
Employment Visa
WorkEmployment Visa
Employer-sponsored work-and-residence visa, the standard route for arriving professionals, tied to a labour clearance.
Eligibility
- Job offer from an Omani employer
- Labour clearance / work permit
- Medical fitness
- Relevant qualifications
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Background
Investor Residency
InvestorInvestor Residency
Golden Residency relaunched on 31 August 2025: a renewable 10-year, self-sponsored residence covering the family, with a single OMR 200,000 entry point across seven investment routes.
Eligibility
- OMR 200,000 or more in one of seven routes: property in an Integrated Tourism Complex, government bonds held 2+ years, listed shares, a 5-year bank deposit, a company employing 50+ Omanis, a registered foreign-investment company, or a combination
- Proof of lawful funds
- Clean record and medical check
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Self-Employment / Professional Visa
EntrepreneurSelf-Employment
Residence for professionals and entrepreneurs registering an activity or company in Oman.
Eligibility
- Registered business or professional activity
- Sufficient capital
- Relevant credentials
Document checklist (11 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Family Residence Visa
FamilyFamily
Lets residents above an income threshold sponsor their spouse and children to live in Oman.
Eligibility
- Resident sponsor above the salary threshold
- Attested family documents
- Suitable accommodation
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Student Visa
StudentStudent
Residence to study at an Omani university or college, sponsored by the institution.
Eligibility
- Acceptance from a recognised institution
- Proof of funds
- Medical screening
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Economic context
The numbers behind the move
Pay reflects the local market in Oman, what you'd typically earn there, not your current salary.
Skill shortages
Sectors actively recruiting from abroad
Where Oman needs foreign talent most, and what those roles pay.
Energy & engineering
Energy and green-hydrogen projects need engineers.
Healthcare
Health-system growth recruits clinical staff from abroad.
Tourism & hospitality
Tourism diversification creates hospitality demand.
Recent changes
What's changed lately
Recent policy changes that affect migrants, newest first.
No policy changes recorded in the last 90 days. The intelligence agent is monitoring.
Quality of life
What living there feels like
Muscat
Safe & scenicA safe, scenic and famously hospitable capital between mountains and the sea.
- Cost index
- 58
- 1-bed rent
- $1,100
- Quality
- 79
Salalah
Green monsoon coastA green, tropical southern city with a unique monsoon season and a relaxed pace.
- Cost index
- 50
- 1-bed rent
- $800
- Quality
- 78
Sohar
Industrial portA growing industrial port city on the Batinah coast with practical costs.
- Cost index
- 50
- 1-bed rent
- $750
- Quality
- 75
Living essentials
The practical day-to-day of settling in Oman.
Good and improving healthcare; expat insurance via employers.
International schools in Muscat; choices fewer than the UAE.
Lower than the UAE/Qatar; tax-free income, relaxed lifestyle.
Decent in cities.
Desert and coastal heat; the green Salalah monsoon (khareef).
Safety & climate
The reception you can expect
How welcoming the public and political mood is, how safe it is, and how geopolitically stable the country is right now.
Anti-migrant sentiment
trendCalm, safe and famously hospitable; one of the most stable states in the Gulf region.
Higher = more hostile public/political climate.
Geopolitical stability
A composite of governance, security and regional-risk signals. Higher means a more predictable environment for settling long term.
Higher = more stable.
Safety
Among the safest countries anywhere; very low crime and a calm, hospitable culture.
Higher = safer (crime index 18/100).
Where to live
Which Oman city fits you?
Cities matched to who you are, career, family, retirement, study or remote work. We flag the ones to consider and the ones to approach with care.
Muscat
Calm Gulf capital
A safe, scenic and famously hospitable capital between mountains and the sea.
Salalah
Tropical south
A green, tropical southern city with a unique monsoon season and a relaxed pace.
Sohar
Growing port city
A growing industrial port city on the Batinah coast with practical costs.
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Immigration solicitors for Oman
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