ONA

Muscat, Jun 10: Official figures have stated that the number of Omanis in the private sector who are registered at the Public Authority for Social Insurance (Pasi) amounted to 102,455 by the end of March 2006, compared to 98,537 at the end of 2005, constituting a 4 per cent increase.

Traditionally, the government had been the employer of first resort for Omanis.

Over the years, concerted efforts at structural reforms and economic liberalisation have emphasised diversification of the productive base of the economy, and the government supported an expanded role for the private sector to create employment opportunities for the country’s rapidly growing indigenous labour force.

The statistical bulletin issued by the Ministry of National Economy showed a 3.2 per cent rise in the volume of the expatriate workforce in the private sector in the Sultanate by the end of March 2006 as the number of expatriate employees amounted to 438,531, against 424,788 during 2005.