Residents » Overview » Before You Arrive

It is unusual for people to arrive in Oman on a visit visa to look for work – most people already have jobs lined up before they arrive. If you have accepted a job offer in Oman, most of the administrative tasks will be taken care of by your employer, but you might still want to visit the country before you take up your post to look at houses and schools.

Some people love expat life but there are those that hate it from the beginning and never manage to adjust. Therefore it is not always a good decision to cut all ties with your home country (like selling your property and closing your bank accounts) before you’ve tested the waters for a year or so. However, you will need to get your financial affairs in order, particularly if you have to continue paying tax in your home country.

If you have children of school-going age, you will need to start investigating schools straight away. There are not many schools to choose from and with Muscat expanding all the time, some schools are running out of places in certain age groups. See p.XXX for a rundown of the nursery, primary and secondary schools in Muscat.

If you negotiate your contract well, you will have made provision for shipping costs – both for when you arrive and when you leave. If you are staying for more than a year, it is probably well worth it to ship out some of your belongings, as this can make you feel at home sooner.

If you are coming to Oman to look for work, do your research before you arrive. Contact recruitment agencies and sign up with online job sites as far in advance as possible. There may also be agencies in your home country that specialise in overseas recruitment. The Work section (p.XXX) should give you some handy info.