cool_hand_luke

Hello guys and Girls
I was just looking for some advice really. I want to move to muscat and wanted to know peoples opinions on my chances to get a good job and make a living.
Currently I am a qualified plumber been doing it for over 8 years and ideally I would like to do that or something similar.
I also have experience in sales working for a major Jewellery shop.
I wanted to ask the members on here that live in Muscat how did they find the initial move? was it hard to find jobs? also if anyone knows of anyplumbing companies or hotels etc looking for a maintenance engineer.
Also how does cost of living compare to say London?
Thank you all so much in advance

Bahtatboy

Manual jobs in the Gulf are done by third-world nationals (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis etc) who are happy to earn in a month what you'd probably want for a day. They'll live/sleep 4+ to a room, and get a trip home once a year if they're lucky.

If you want to work again in a jewellery shop, how's your Arabic?

People don't (can't) move to the Gulf and find a job, unless they're the spouse of someone who's already got a job in order to go there.

Sorry, but that's the way it is.

IKnowNothing

But they do set up companies here for Western workers who allegedly provide a better service....


Seriously though, unless you have £100k in your account don't bother.

cool_hand_luke

Thanks for the replys guys looks like I may have to rethink this one or at least get a job first(or try) before I head over

scot47

There was a time - 50 years ago - when western plumbers, electricians and bricklayers worked in the region. Long gone I am afraid !

Pulaski

Why Muscat? Even within the region that is a very specific target location when there are several other similar destinations.

cool_hand_luke

Reason for Muscat is the fiancée has been offered a job there which is too good to turn down hence the reason for wanting to go there

Charl01

You will not get a spouse visa unless you are married.......

scot47

Get married. Go there with wife. Look around. Maybe something in construction !??

OriginalSunshine

And even then, your sponsorship will depend on your wife's labour classification.

Millhouse

On the plus side, I bet our guy knows that in order to them to work, you have to actually tighten the compression fittings.

iggle

Sponge of the misses, live the life of an Expat Husband. They do it to us, get revenge. And bang the maid whilst she's at work

Pulaski

Having a harem would certainly be an interesting approach.

Leannmean

asjglx

Tourists visas are 20 Omani Rials for 30 days, single entry. You can renew this once at the airport for another 30 days. After this you must leave the country and return. Most people drive to Hatta, where the border is to the UAE and then just do a u-turn and drive back into Oman. Or you can fly to Dubai/Abu Dhabi for a day/weekend.

No spousal visa unless you're married. You can't work on a tourist visa, the authorities are also cracking down on people who do. Lots of expat wives have left recently because their little home run cottages industries are being shut down by the police.

I have heard of people coming over with their partners and finding jobs, but it doesn't happen often. Oman has a policy called Omanisation, this means that companies have to really justify and prove that they need an expat to do a job before a visa is granted. If the job can be done by an Omani and there is an Omani willing to do the job then you simply won't get the visa.

With work like plumbing, as already mentioned, there is an army of foreign labor workers here already doing that. They are far cheaper than you and me, their work might not be as good but that's not how things work out here. You might find a managerial position in one of the construction companies out here or perhaps an engineering company. There's a lot of construction going on, both commercial and residential. I have friends who work for Carillion, perhaps that's worth looking at.

With the current price of oil don't hold your breath. The expat population of Muscat has been decimated by redundancies in the last 12 months. Government spending has reduced significantly and many of the big companies are tightening their belts. You might get lucky though...

Let me know if you have any specific questions. I've been living in Muscat for just over 2 years now, it's a great city and most things about are the country are positive.

The exchange rate back to GBP is also pretty good