Country guide · Oman · OMR
An Oman offer, checked properly
Oman simplified its gratuity formula in 2023 — and is already partway through the next change, a savings-fund scheme that will eventually replace it. Here is what the numbers need to include, and what's still moving.
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End-of-service gratuity: one month per year since 2023
Under Oman's new Labour Law, in force from 31 July 2023, gratuity is straightforward: one full month's basic salary per year of service. Service completed before 31 July 2023 follows the old, tiered rate instead — 15 days' basic per year for the first three years, then one month per year after that. If you started before the cutoff and are still employed, your eventual payout blends both periods.
Worked example, service entirely after the reform: OMR 800 basic, 4 years since 31 July 2023 — 4 × 1 month's basic = OMR 3,200. The calculator runs this from your own figures; if part of your service predates the reform, calculate that portion under the old 15-day rate separately.
Rules verified August 2026 · official sources — Ministry of Labour / Social Protection Fund
What's coming next: the Social Protection Fund
A Social Protection Fund savings scheme is being phased in, with rollout expected to run to around 2028. It will eventually replace employer-paid gratuity with ongoing fund contributions — the same broad shift Bahrain has already made with its SIO scheme. Details of contribution rates and the exact transition timeline are still settling; treat the one-month-per-year rule above as current, not permanent, and re-check before a decision with a long horizon.
What Oman living costs look like
Typical monthly figures for a family in Muscat — the same defaults the calculator loads when you pick Oman, editable to your own situation:
| Cost | Typical monthly (OMR) |
|---|---|
| Rent (family apartment/villa) | 1,272 |
| Utilities — electricity, water, internet | 181 |
| School fees, per child (÷12) | 530 |
| Groceries and household | 424 |
| Car, fuel, insurance | 689 |
The Oman specifics worth knowing
Rent is annual, in instalments — typically two to four payments across the year rather than a single cheque, with a deposit of around one month, similar to Saudi Arabia's market.
Ask when your service actually started. If it was before 31 July 2023, get clear on how your employer is treating the pre- and post-reform portions of your gratuity — this is not always volunteered in an offer letter.
No income tax, and living costs are broadly comparable to Saudi Arabia's — the bigger unknown for a long-term move is how the Social Protection Fund settles once fully rolled out.
Questions people ask about Oman packages
Which gratuity rate applies to me?
Whichever period your service falls in — one month per year for anything from 31 July 2023 onward, the old 15-day tiered rate for anything before. Mixed-era service needs both calculated separately.
Will the Social Protection Fund change my existing gratuity?
Likely, for future accrual — the fund is meant to replace the employer-paid model over its rollout to around 2028. What happens to gratuity already accrued isn't fully settled in public guidance yet; this is worth re-verifying close to any decision.
What does a typical package include?
Basic plus housing and transport allowances, annual flights, medical cover, and for families an education allowance — usually per child and capped. Compare offers on the whole package, never on basic alone.
How do I check my employer or my rights?
The Ministry of Labour and the Social Protection Fund are the official sources, both linked from the official links page.
Other countries: Qatar · UAE · Saudi Arabia · Kuwait · Bahrain — or read clear your debts before you resign.