Hire an Executive Assistant in Oman: Cost, Visa & Sourcing Guide

Omanisation first: can your Executive Assistant be an expat?

Administrative and secretarial work is one of the areas where Oman has most actively steered jobs towards its own citizens, so treat this check seriously. The Ministry of Labour sets Omanisation expectations by sector, and does not publish them as a percentage an employer can calculate unaided; your establishment's standing appears on the Ministry's system. The Ministry also maintains a list of occupations reserved for Omani nationals, and it is revised from time to time. Before you approach a candidate from abroad, compare the current list with the occupation you intend to register. Do not assume that a grander title such as "executive assistant to the CEO" changes how the underlying occupation is treated; ask your PRO.

In practice, many Omani organisations fill executive assistant roles with Omani nationals, and the role suits them well. An executive assistant who speaks Arabic natively, knows how government offices work and understands local etiquette is a real asset to any senior leader. Where an expat assistant is permitted and preferred, for example to support an expat chief executive with a particular language or a regional remit, plan for an Omani colleague to share and gradually take over the responsibilities.

The Executive Assistant market in Oman

Executive assistants in Oman support chairmen, chief executives, ministers' offices, general managers and senior partners across:

• Large companies such as Petroleum Development Oman, OQ, Omantel, Bank Muscat and Oman Air, where assistants manage dense calendars, board papers and visiting delegations.
• Family business groups, where the assistant often handles the family's business and personal matters side by side and needs exceptional discretion.
• Government and government-linked entities, where correspondence follows formal Arabic conventions and protocol matters.
• International firms and consultancies with offices in Muscat, which need assistants who can bridge head-office expectations and local practice.
• Embassies and international organisations, which hire assistants with diplomatic protocol experience.

What the job actually involves

The core is calendar, travel and correspondence management, but in Oman the role usually stretches further. Assistants arrange meetings with ministries and government-linked companies, follow up on official letters, prepare Arabic and English documents, coordinate hospitality for guests, and often act as the first point of contact for senior visitors. In family groups they may manage household staff matters, charitable giving or private travel.

Relationship management is central. A good assistant knows which calls must be returned the same day, which senior visitors expect to be greeted personally, and how to decline requests politely without causing offence. Knowledge of Islamic and national holidays, Ramadan working hours and local customs around hospitality is assumed.

Discretion, Arabic and protocol: the skills that decide this hire

In Oman, an executive assistant often sees more confidential information than most managers: board matters, shareholder discussions, personnel issues and personal family affairs. Discretion is the most important quality, and it is also the hardest to test. Use references carefully, ask candidates how they handled a request for information they should not share, and watch for anyone who discusses former employers too freely in the interview.

Language is the second deciding skill. Formal Arabic correspondence with government entities follows established conventions, and errors reflect badly on the executive. For many roles the assistant must write fluently in both Arabic and English and switch tone between a ministry letter and a quick email to an international board member. Test both with a short written exercise.

Protocol is the third. Seating arrangements, greeting order, gifts and hospitality for senior officials or royal family members require knowledge that cannot be learned from a manual. Ask candidates to describe a protocol event they organised.

Executive assistant, office manager or personal assistant?

Omani employers use these titles loosely, and mismatched expectations are the most common reason these hires fail early. An office manager runs facilities, suppliers and junior staff; a personal assistant may handle mainly private matters; an executive assistant manages the leader's time, information and relationships, and sometimes acts as chief of staff. Write down which of these you need, how much decision-making authority the assistant will have, and whether they will supervise anyone. Then advertise and register the role accordingly.

Work permit and labour card for an expat Executive Assistant

If the occupation is open to non-Omanis, the employer applies to the Ministry of Labour for a work permit, commonly called the labour card. The fee depends on the occupation and your company's Omanisation level; check the current charge for your specific code with the Ministry or your PRO.

After approval, the candidate completes the employment visa, medical examination, residence card and contract registration. Executive assistants come from many educational backgrounds, so make sure the attested qualification is consistent with the registered occupation. If the candidate is already working in Oman, a move between employers is handled through the Ministry; check that it is possible before they resign.

Contract terms under Royal Decree 53/2023

The Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023 sets the floor for an executive assistant's contract. Senior executives travel and work late, and their assistants often do too, so think about overtime and rest days carefully.

• Probation: no more than 3 months, with 7 days' notice if either side ends the contract during it.
• Notice: 30 days for a monthly-paid employee after probation. For a trusted assistant, plan the handover well within that period.
• Annual leave: 30 days a year, paid on gross wage. Agree how leave is covered when the executive is travelling.
• Overtime: 125% of wage for ordinary extra hours, 150% at night and 200% on a rest day. Evening dinners and weekend travel can trigger this.
• Sick leave: up to 182 days a year: full pay for the first 21 days, 75% for days 22 to 35, 50% for days 36 to 70 and 35% for days 71 to 182.
• Maternity: 98 days of paid leave; confirm how the Social Protection Fund pays the benefit.
• End of service: under Article 61, non-Omani workers receive at least one month of final basic wage for each year of service.
• Weekend: Friday and Saturday.

We do not quote pay figures for this role. Where we hold pay data for it, the live benchmark is shown further down this page. Housing and transport allowances, flights and medical cover are common in the market but not required by law. If the assistant travels with the executive, set out how travel time, accommodation and daily expenses are handled. A confidentiality clause is standard and worth drafting with care.

Licences and credentials for an Executive Assistant in Oman

There is no single licence for an in-house executive assistant in Oman. Screen for:

• Attested qualification matching the registered occupation.
• Experience supporting senior leaders, with references from the executives themselves where possible.
• Arabic and English writing, tested with a real exercise.
• Office software skills, including advanced calendar, document and presentation tools.
• Board support experience, such as preparing papers and taking minutes, for roles serving chairmen or boards.
• Professional certificates in administration, useful as supporting evidence only.

Background checks are reasonable for roles with access to highly sensitive information. Tell candidates upfront that you will run them.

Where to find Executive Assistants in Oman

Omani candidates graduate from business and administration programmes at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, GUtech and private colleges. Many experienced Omani assistants work in banks, ministries and large companies and may move for a senior role. The Ministry of Labour's national employment services can also refer Omani jobseekers.

Post on MenaJobs, Bayt, GulfTalent and LinkedIn, describing the executive's role, languages required and travel expectations. Referrals from other executives and their assistants are very effective, since this is a trust-based role. Specialist recruiters who handle confidential searches are worth considering for assistants to chairmen or ruling-family offices.

Hiring timeline and first weeks

1. Check the Omanisation position and occupation code with the Ministry of Labour.
2. Agree with the executive what the assistant will own, from calendar to correspondence.
3. Shortlist and run a written Arabic and English exercise.
4. Hold a final interview with the executive, and take references from former executives.
5. Make a conditional offer; for an expat, complete permit, visa, medical, residence card and contract registration.
6. Plan a handover from the outgoing assistant or a colleague.

In the first weeks, give the new assistant a contact map of key people and their preferences. More general guidance is on our Oman hiring hub.

Interview scorecard prompts: Executive Assistant in Oman

1. "Draft a short Arabic letter to a ministry requesting a meeting for our chief executive." A strong answer uses correct formal conventions and a respectful tone.
2. "A board member's office calls asking about a confidential agenda item. What do you say?" Look for polite refusal and escalation to the executive.
3. "How would you organise a visit by a senior official to our office?" Good candidates cover protocol, greeting order, hospitality and timing.
4. "Your executive has three urgent meetings booked at once. How do you resolve it?" Look for priority judgement and diplomatic rescheduling.
5. "How do you manage your executive's calendar during Ramadan?" Strong answers adjust working hours, meeting times and iftar invitations.
6. "Tell me about a mistake you made and how you fixed it." You want honesty and a clear lesson learned.

Score discretion, written language, organisation and judgement separately. A candidate who shares confidential details about a former employer during the interview should be ruled out, however polished they seem.

One further prompt is worth adding for assistants to chairmen or family-group principals: "How do you keep business and family matters separate when you handle both?" Strong candidates describe separate files, clear instructions on who may see what and a habit of confirming before acting on anything personal.

Consider a short trial day where the candidate handles mock correspondence and scheduling with real tools. It shows working style, speed and accuracy far better than any CV and gives the executive a chance to judge personal chemistry, which matters a great deal in this role.