(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Following the arrest of 3,528 Labour Law violators from North Batinah in 2013, the Ministry of Manpower's (MoM) director general for the governorate has said that illegal employment of expatriates in nationalised positions has increased.
''This [the employment of expatriates in nationalised jobs] has increased recently, and the ministry, in cooperation with other concerned authorities, is working on combating it,'' said Mahfoudh bin Hamdan al Wahaibi, director general, MoM in North Batinah.
MoM had conducted 1,791 inspections on various facilities during 2013, he said, adding that those arrested included absconders, retrenched workers, infiltrators and a large number of expatriates employed in positions that had been nationalised.
Stressing that the checks will continue, Wahaibi said, ''We are working on arresting violators of the Labour Law and its provisions by intensifying inspection campaigns, as well as looking into calls reporting the presence of violators.''
Those arrested will face penalties stipulated in Article 114 of the Labour Law, including fines and deportation. ''Also, the companies that employed them will be prohibited from hiring expatriates for a year,'' Wahaibi said.
About job seekers in the governorate, he said the ministry is making all efforts to train and employ them. ''As many as 10,693 citizens were employed in technical and administrative jobs during 2013.''
He said that the directorate is working on absorbing more citizens into the private sector.
''We are working on finding suitable jobs for them and providing them with rehabilitation and training opportunities.''
The ministry has formed teams to look into their skills and jobs best suited for them in the private sector.
Another team communicates and coordinates with job seekers on interviews, and a third team follows up after a candidate clears the interview by registering their contracts and ensuring their appointment.
''It also follows up on the work environment of employees after their appointment, in coordination with trade unions and the General Union of Workers,'' Wahaibi said.
''The private sector requires candidates who have a strong desire to work.
''Furthermore, amendments to some provisions of the Labour Law come looking at needs of citizens. To encourage job seekers to work in the private sector, the Ministry of Manpower among other things, has increased incentives and modified the holiday and work hour rules,'' Wa
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