Muscat: Mohsin bin Khamis Al Balushi, advisor to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, said ‘changes are coming' when asked about No Objection Certificates in Oman.

The advisor insisted the government ‘is listening’. Speaking on the sidelines of Outlook Oman 2016 in Muscat, Al Balushi said announcements in both the labour law and foreign investment law are in the pipeline.

“The government is listening to the requests from the private sector on NOC and other reforms required in laws to attract investment. It is considering the requests. It is a positive sign. Government is not closing the door... it is very important... No doubt people will see the result. Change is coming,” Al Balushi added.

“In the region revolutionary sorts of decisions have been taken by countries. If I am positioning my country to attract regional or international investment I have to be better than them or at least equal to them. The change is coming.”

Al Balushi was referring to moves by GCC members such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which eased the labour law in order to provide more mobility for foreign workers, and Qatar which on December 13 will introduce with a new labour law which will be more labour friendly without NOC options.

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