Oman’s expat population has dropped 2 percent according to figures released in June, 2018, compared to the same time the previous year, local daily Times of Oman reported.

According to government figures there were 43,000 fewer expats recorded in 2018 compared to the previous year – bringing the population of foreign nationals down to 2,035,952.

Expats make up 44.1 percent of Oman’s total population which stands at 4,612,824.

Earlier this year, expat workers in the country faced a six-month visa ban across 87 industries, including media, engineering, marketing and sales, accounting and finance, IT, insurance, technicians, administration and HR.

The Oman government announced last month that the ban would remain in place and that it was considering adding more professions, adding that Omanis should always be the first choice for jobs in the country.

The Omanization drive is part of a government’s push to recruit more of its own citizens, a similar push is underway across the GCC where countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have also been trying to increase the number of locals in employment.

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