Expat population increases in Oman as it’s named world’s safest country for expats
Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world and is famous for its capital’s dazzling souks and incredible seafood. The country is an otherworldly terrain and a breath of fresh, sea air.
Back in June, the expat population in Oman saw the biggest decrease in years due to the government putting a ban on new visas for all administrative and clerical positions in the private sector in addition to several other job categories. But the decline didn’t last for long. Last month, according to the country’s National Centre for Statistics and Information, the total number of expats in Oman nearly crossed the two million mark meaning the number of expats in the Sultanate is on the rise again.
However, the percentage of expats in Oman has still decreased overall from 45.8% in 2016 to 42.8% in 2019 due to a big drive in the country’s government’s ‘Omanisation’ policy.
Muscat, the country’s capital, is home to the most expats with an expatriate population of 888,748.
World’s safest country for expats
Despite the government trying to replace expatriate workers with trained Omani Personnel it has been named the safest country in the world for expats to live and work according to the latest Expat Insider Report.
In terms of overall quality of life, the country comes 35th, which is a significant jump up the rankings from 90th place in 2018. When it comes to safety and security, Oman is number one.
The survey polled 64 different countries and ranked them according to leisure options, personal happiness, travel and transportation, health and wellbeing, safety and security and digital life. Overall, Taiwan was voted the best place in the world for expats. Where safety and security are concerned, among the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, only the UAE featured in the top 10 alongside Oman.
Oman is a very safe country and has a low crime rate. There’s not much to be worried about when living in Oman. It’s a particularly good environment to raise young children and the people in Oman always go out of their way to help strangers.
Of course, you should still take all the usual precautions when walking late at night and always keep your possessions safe when in crowded areas. The main dangers in Oman, however, are related to road use. The Omanis are notorious for their reckless driving and a significant amount of road accidents are caused by speeding and tailgating.
