Saturday 13 / September / 2025
Oman’s Ministry of Labour has recently promulgated Ministerial Decision No. 523/2025, establishing a structured legal framework for the governance of remote work in the Sultanate of Oman.
This new regulation aims to standardise remote work arrangements, ensuring both employers and employees operate under clear obligations and protections.
Speaking exclusively to the Times of Oman, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zadjali, Founding Partner of Mohammed Ibrahim Law Firm, said that “the decision explicitly defines remote work as tasks performed using information technology and communications means from outside the premises of the establishment but within the Sultanate of Oman, while firmly prohibiting the employment of remote workers based outside Oman’s territory.”
“Employers are obligated to provide and maintain the necessary technology, software, and communications tools for the job. They must also establish an electronic system for supervision and performance evaluation.
“A critical safeguard within the rules prohibits companies from implementing intrusive surveillance that violates worker privacy or misusing personal data. Employees, in turn, have a duty to perform their work during agreed-upon hours, maintain strict confidentiality of all data, and immediately report any technical obstacles. They are granted the right to disconnect from work systems if their privacy is violated,” Dr. Mohammed explained.
He further stated that “the framework distinguishes between part-time and full-time remote work. Employees may request part-time arrangements, which employers can approve or deny based on work requirements; in these cases, the employer is not responsible for providing equipment.
Full-time remote work, however, requires a detailed written contract including the contractual terms and also specifying terms like technology use, performance evaluation mechanisms, and data security obligations.
Furthermore, the decision outlines specific conditions under which an employer can recall a partial remote worker to the office, including security threats, serious policy breaches, or failure to adhere to working hours.
He concluded by stating that the decision affirms that all remote workers retain the full spectrum of rights and obligations guaranteed under Oman’s Labour law.
(Mohammed Ibrahim Law Firm ([email protected]), (+968 244 87 600) was established 18 years ago and is serving clients through its offices in Muscat and Sohar, as well as operating on a request basis in other areas. It offers legal representation across a wide range of practice areas that include Labour Law, Corporate, Commercial, Contracts, Banking and Finance, International Trade, Foreign Investment, Insurance, Maritime Law, Construction and Engineering Contracts, International Arbitration, Intellectual Property and more).
