Oman to Hire 10,000 Bangladeshi Farmers and Fishermen
Muscat and Dhaka reached an agreement on 11 September 2026 to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers, consisting of 5,000 farmers and 5,000 fishermen. This labor arrangement was announced following a meeting on 9 September in Dhaka between Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and an Omani delegation led by Al Sayyid Mohammed Salim Ali Al Said, a member of the Omani royal family. An agreement has been formally signed between the two nations.
- Oman agreed to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers.
- The group includes 5,000 farmers and 5,000 fishermen.
- An Omani delegation will visit Dhaka in October 2026.
Recruitment Process and Official Visits
To finalize recruitment procedures, an Omani government delegation is scheduled to visit Dhaka in October 2026 to consult with the Bangladesh Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Currently, a quota of 5,000 agricultural workers has been approved and is being allocated via Oman’s agricultural associations across various governorates. Officials from both countries also discussed the potential to expand the recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers into additional sectors.
Visa Services and Expatriate Rules
Beyond this new initiative, Bangladesh is pursuing the resumption of regular Omani visa services for migrant workers, which had been restricted under the previous Bangladeshi administration. This development occurs as Oman continues to utilize foreign labor in sectors like agriculture and fisheries, despite broader Omanisation policies limiting other professional fields to local nationals. For the approximately 550,000 Indian expatriates and other South Asian communities currently in Oman, the government has recently removed the 60-year age cap on work-permit renewals.
Advice for Job Seekers
Prospective job-seekers are advised by authorities to rely exclusively on licensed recruiting agents authorized by the Bangladesh Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to avoid unofficial fee scams. Recruitment is expected to proceed through official channels following the Omani delegation's visit.