Hire a Japanese Chef in Oman: Permits, Omanisation and Hours

Oman rewrote its labour law in 2023 and its work permit rules in October 2025. The new permit fees reward employers who meet their Omanisation targets and double for those who do not, and the Labour Law sets a 40 hour week that surprises many restaurant operators coming from elsewhere in the Gulf. This guide covers what a restaurant hiring a Japanese chef in Oman needs to plan for, based on official Omani and international sources available in September 2026.

1. A very small Japanese presence

• Japan's foreign ministry (MOFA) counted 97 Japanese nationals in Oman on 1 October 2025, down 10.2% on the year. All 97 were long-term residents; none were permanent residents.
• Oman does not appear as a separate country in the 2025 table of Japanese restaurants overseas published by Japan's agriculture ministry (MAFF).

There is, in practice, no local pool of Japanese cooks. Any Japanese chef will come from Japan or from another country, often from a Gulf neighbour. Our guides to Dubai and Abu Dhabi describe the nearest larger markets. For a regional overview, see Japanese restaurants in the Middle East and Africa.

2. Work permits under Decision 602/2025

The Ministry of Labour issued Decision No. 602/2025 on work permits and work practice permits on 26 October 2025. As reported by the Oman News Agency and the Oman Observer:

• A work permit is issued for 24 months and is not renewable, with the option of a shorter period. A separate work practice permit lasts up to 24 months and is renewable.
• Recruitment licences for non-Omani workers were extended from 15 to 24 months.
• Fees depend on the class of profession:

The reduced and doubled figures are our arithmetic on the published rule; the ministry's system gives the exact amount. We could not confirm which class a chef or cook falls into, so check the classification before you budget.

• Late payment is charged at RO 10 a month, up to RO 500 per worker.
• Fees can be recovered or waived in set cases, including when a worker fails the medical examination, the visa is not approved, or the worker leaves within 90 days.

3. Omanisation: fees and restricted jobs

Omanisation affects a restaurant in two ways.

Through fees. Under Decision 602/2025, an employer that meets its prescribed Omanisation rate pays 30% less for permits, and one that does not pays double. For a restaurant bringing in several foreign cooks, that is a real difference. Know your current Omanisation rate before you plan the kitchen.

Through restricted occupations. The Ministry of Labour keeps a list of professions reserved for Omanis. Decision No. 501/2024, announced on 1 September 2024, added 32 professions, among them hotel reception manager and several tourism roles, with some restrictions phased in to 2027. Chef and cook were not among the professions reported as added. We could not obtain the complete current list from an official source, so check that the job title you intend to use (particularly for any management role, such as restaurant manager) is not restricted.

The Labour Law also states that a licence to recruit non-Omanis is granted only if no Omani with the necessary qualifications, experience or skills can be found. Keep a record of your local recruitment efforts.

4. A 40 hour week and two days off

According to the International Labour Organization's factsheet on Oman (updated December 2023), the Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 53/2023 sets:

• 8 hours a day, up to 40 hours a week, not counting a daily hour of rest. Continuous work may not exceed 6 hours.
• During Ramadan, Muslim employees work up to 6 hours a day or 30 a week.
• Two consecutive days of rest each week.
• Overtime paid at basic salary plus 25% for daytime and 50% for night work, or time off in lieu. Work on rest days or public holidays earns a day off in lieu or a 100% uplift. Total working time may not exceed 12 hours a day.

Our guide to overtime rules for chefs by country compares this with other markets.

5. Other terms for the chef's contract

From the same ILO factsheet:

• Contract: drafted in Arabic in two originals. If it is in another language, an Arabic copy approved by both parties must be attached. It can be for a fixed term of up to 5 years or indefinite.
• Minimum wage: not applicable to migrant workers. (The minimum for Omani nationals in the private sector is RO 325.)
• Wages are paid at least monthly through the Wage Protection System to an accredited bank, within seven days of falling due.
• Annual leave: 30 days of paid leave after six months of service. The employer pays a return air ticket for the worker to spend leave in the home country. Leave can be accumulated, but must be taken at least once every two years for no less than 30 days.
• Sick leave: up to 182 days a year, paid on a sliding scale from 100% down to 35%.
• Passports: the employer may not keep the worker's passport or identity documents without the worker's written permission.
• Recruitment fees: recruitment agencies may not charge fees to workers.

The annual return ticket is a significant cost for a chef from Japan. Put it in the offer explicitly. Our contract checklist and relocation package guide cover how to present it.

6. Step by step

1. Check your Omanisation rate. The doubled fee is nearly three times the discounted one.
2. Confirm the chef's profession class and that the job title is not on the restricted list.
3. Record your local recruitment efforts before applying for the licence.
4. Design the kitchen roster around a 40 hour week with two rest days, and price the overtime.
5. Recruit and test the chef. Sign an Arabic contract with an attached English or Japanese version.
6. Apply for the recruitment licence and work permit, and pay fees on time to avoid the monthly penalty.
7. Register the chef for payment through the Wage Protection System from the first month.

General information checked against the Oman News Agency, the Oman Observer, the ILO and Japanese government sources in September 2026, not legal or immigration advice. We could not verify the profession class for chefs or the full list of restricted professions. Confirm with Oman's Ministry of Labour before acting.