60,000 Job Opportunities Planned Across Government and Private Sectors in 2026

Royal Directives Drive National Employment Plan for 60000 Opportunities

Muscat: The Ministry of Labour has prepared a comprehensive national plan for employment and skills development, based on a strategic partnership between government entities, government-owned companies, and private sector establishments. The plan comes in implementation of the Royal directives to accelerate employment and provide 60,000 job opportunities for citizens during 2026.

The Ministry explained that the plan is grounded in a precise analysis of labour market needs, linking employment opportunities to high value-added sectors and strengthening alignment between education and training outputs and the requirements of the national economy. This approach contributes to enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of the national workforce.

According to the plan, 10,000 job opportunities will be provided in the government sector, covering civilian, military, and security institutions, based on carefully assessed actual needs. This aims to improve the efficiency of the state’s administrative apparatus, enhance public service quality, and support priority developmental and service sectors.

Within government support pathways, 17,000 opportunities will be offered through wage support programmes, training linked to employment, and on-the-job training initiatives. These pathways are designed to equip job seekers with practical and professional skills, raise their employability, and ensure their sustainable integration into the labour market.

In the private sector, 33,000 job opportunities will be created as part of effective partnerships with private sector institutions, under the supervision and follow-up of employment governance committees. These opportunities will span key economic sectors, including industry, oil and gas, transport and logistics, tourism, banking, health, education, real estate development, information technology, communications, food security, public services, financial services, mining, retail, construction, and other sectors supporting economic diversification.

Dr. Mahad Said Ba’awain, Minister of Labour, affirmed that the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik reflect His Majesty’s farsighted vision for building a balanced economy driven by qualified Omani citizens.

He stated that the national employment plan goes beyond numerical targets, focusing on creating quality and sustainable jobs linked to training and qualification and aligned with current and future labour market needs. This, he noted, enhances workforce competitiveness and prepares citizens for opportunities arising from economic and technological transformations.

The Minister added that the plan will be implemented through clear performance indicators, robust governance mechanisms, and periodic follow-up to ensure transparency, measure outcomes, and address any challenges during implementation, thereby maximizing developmental impact.

He stressed that integration between employment policies and education and training policies represents a fundamental pillar of the plan, noting that the Ministry continues to strengthen partnerships with educational and training institutions and the private sector to align skills with labour market requirements and achieve career stability for citizens.

Dr. Ba’awain called for positive engagement with the national initiative, emphasizing that employment is a shared national responsibility and that sustainable development can only be achieved through integrated efforts and unified vision across the economic ecosystem.