Human Resources

At Sohar University, the HR Department is in charge of, but not limited to, the following:

• Implementing the Omani Labor Law and University procedures and regulations.
• Finalizing recruitment procedures for new academic and administrative staff in coordination with the respective authorities.
• Preparation of the annual budget for the departments.
• Calculating salaries and financial benefits for University staff.
• Completing travel procedures for expatriates and their families and issuing them with tickets, in coordination with the Procurement & Contracts Department.
• Preparing and approving air ticket encashment requests according to University rules and regulations.
• Preparing health and life insurance cards for those who are eligible, according to University regulations.
• Monitoring employees’ daily attendance.
• Implementing the rules and procedures set out in the Oman Labor Law and the University’s rules about hiring, promoting, giving bonuses, taking vacations, leaving the job, and getting a visa.
• Following up the implementation of decisions taken by the University administration.
• Maintaining records of University staff.
• Providing services to staff in terms of work permits, visas, and residence cards, according to the laws and regulations in force in Oman.
• Welcoming newly arrived staff at the airport and cancelling the visas of those who have concluded their period of service at the University.
• Granting recognised certificates, as per University rules and regulations.
• Taking legal action against those who break the law.

The following services are provided by the Human Resources Department to new, overseas staff members upon their arrival in Oman:

• There is airport pick-up and free delivery to the free accommodation (hotel) for seven days.
• Free transportation from the hotel or to the University for a period of seven days in coordination with the Transportation Section.
• Providing a cash advance of OMR 1000 for new, overseas staff if needed by them; this is to be deducted from the monthly salary at a rate of OMR 250 per month for those whose salaries exceed OMR 1000, in coordination with the Finance Department.

New Staff Members

New staff members, whom we shall call ‘employees’, should present themselves to the Human Resources Department within two days of their date of arrival in Oman. They should bring their job contract, the results of their medical exam, their residence card, their passport, and six passport-sized photos to finish the paperwork and get health and life insurance.

OTHER SERVICES OFFERED UPON REQUEST:

1. VISA SERVICES:
   
   • The employee and his/her family’s visa
     

     Family visa is granted to expatriate employees and their children. It will be valid for two years from the day the visa is stamped on the passport and should be used within three months of the issue date. The family visa is the multiple entry/re-entry type, which means that the visa holder can travel outside Oman and return. The fee for a visa is OMR 30 and is paid by the employee.

     Fees in case of delay:

     • A fine for not renewing a visa within thirty days from the day of entry is OMR 20 for each month.
     • A fine for not registering a residence within thirty days from the day of entry is OMR 10 for each month.

     Documents required for the employee and his/her family’s visa:

     • A copy of the visa applicant’s passport, which should be valid for no less than six months, in addition to a copy of the residence card.
     • Two photographs 4x6 cm.
     • A passport copy and proof of kinship are required unless the names and data recorded in the passports prove kinship.
     • The employee’s wife should send an original copy of the marriage contract that has been signed by both the embassy of her country and the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
     • A medical examination certificate is for those who are 15 years old and above and coming from, in the first instance, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria or Sudan. For other countries, please check with the Human Resources Department. The examination must be certified and approved by the Ministry of Health in Oman.
   
   
   • Visitor’s Visa for Relatives
     

     A visitor’s visa is granted to the University employees’ relatives and is done so at their request and on their responsibility. Visitors’ visas are not issued to friends of the employee. The visa must be used within three months of the issue date and is valid for three months from the date of entry.

     The visitor’s visa is not a multiple entry/re-entry visa and allows visitors to make only one exit from the country. However, the visa can be extended by one month, at a cost of OMR 20. Delays in departure that cause visa holders to extend their stay in the country are met with a fine of 10 RO per day.

     Documents required for a Visitor’s Visa:

     • One copy of a passport that is valid for no less than 6 months.
     • Two photographs 4x6 cm.
     • A copy of the employee’s passport (to verify kinship).
     • A letter of undertaking from the employee’s sponsor, assuming responsibility for the family visitors during their stay in Oman. The letter should also detail the nature of the kinship.

     The new employee and his/her relatives are kindly requested to visit the Staff Services Department within a week of the date of their arrival in the Sultanate.

   
   
   • Study Visa
     

     A study visa is granted to a non-Omani, coming to study in Oman, upon request and is the responsibility of the local sponsor, provided that the sponsor has a license, issued by the proper authority, to operate a training or educational institute. A study visa must be used within three months of the date of issue and is valid for up to one year from the date of entry. It can be renewed for the same period of validity if the holder is still studying. They shall submit a letter, issued by their educational or training institute, which proves that they are still studying. The study visa is of the multiple entry/re-entry type, so holders can take any number of flights out of the country. A study visa costs OMR 30.

     Documents required for a Study Visa:

     • A downloaded, electronic application form, certified and stamped by the sponsor. It should be typed in Arabic for Arab nationals and in English for non-Arab nationals.
     • Two photographs 4x6 cm.
     • A passport that is valid for no less than 6 months.
     • A medical examination card must be approved by the Ministry of Health for those coming from, in the first instance, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria or Sudan. For other countries, please check with the Human Resources Department.
     • A letter from the previous sponsor saying that he or she doesn’t mind if the person wants to switch to university sponsorship.


2. Renewal of Resident Card
   

   Resident cards expire on the date specified in the passport. To begin the process of renewing a resident card, University employees, their accompanying persons (family members) or study visa holder students must deliver the following documents to the Human Resources Department one week before the visa’s expiry date:

   • Passport
   • A copy of the original residence card
   • 2 photographs
   • If the person wants to stay in the country to study, they will need to show a letter of admission for the current academic year.

   Notes

   • There is charge for the renewal of all the above-mentioned visas.
   • The fee for issuing a residence card is OMR 11.
   • A residence card is obligatory from the age of four and above.
   • The fine for not obtaining or renewing a residence card is OMR 20 for each month, to be paid by the University employee.
   • The final notice period for residency renewal is one month from the date of visa expiry. If the visa expires while the visa holders are outside Oman, the visa becomes invalid and the holders can only enter Oman if they are issued with a new visa.
   • Holders of the following visas are allowed to stay outside Oman (for example – and only for example – while on holiday, while studying or training or on employment attachment):
   • Work visa holders must not stay outside Oman for more than 6 months, otherwise the visa will be automatically canceled and the holders will not be able to re-enter Oman until their sponsors issue them with a new visa.
   • Accompanying person visa holders can stay outside Oman no later than one week prior to the expiry date of the visa. It is also important to let the sponsor know that they need to renew their sponsorship and/or visa as soon as the person arrives in Oman.
   • A visit visa expires when the visa holder leaves Oman if it is not a multiple entry/re-entry type. If the visa expires while the person is still in Oman, a fine of OMR 10 is payable for each day that the holder remains in the country.


3. Alcoholic Beverages Permit
   

   The Directorate General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigation at the Royal Oman Police is the only authority to which to apply for an alcoholic beverages permit. The person applying sends in a form made for that purpose along with the required documents, which are listed in the appendix. There is also a subscription fee of OMR 30.



4. Police Clearance Certificate (Non-conviction Certificate)
   

   This certificate is issued to Omani citizens and resident foreign nationals presently or previously residing in the Sultanate. For application, you must complete the appropriate form, accompanied by a letter of approval from the sponsor if the applicant is an employee from overseas, and attach a copy of the passport and ID card, in addition to two passport photos (4 x 4 cm). A non-conviction certificate fee in Oman is OMR 5, and outside Oman it is OMR 20.

Health Insurance Provided To University Staff

An employee must have health insurance according to the laws and regulations of Sohar University. There are two types of insurance. The foreign employee gets both types of insurance – life and health insurance. Life insurance is based on the basic salary of the employee during the year. Only a University employee’s wife or husband and two of their children under the age of 18 are eligible for health insurance coverage. As for the Omani employees, they only receive health insurance and it does not include their families.

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING HEALTH INSURANCE FOR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES

• When the new employee starts work, a health insurance card will be given to him or her by the Human Resource Departments Health Insurance and Tickets Section.
• Employees of the University must bring a photograph of each member of their family when insurance coverage or insurance renewal is sought for family members. These photographs will be used to make valid, up-to-date health insurance cards.
• They should also bring passports and visa copies to prove that their family members should come under the umbrella of insurance coverage offered by the University and so that the correct details about the family members can be entered on the insurance cards.
• It usually takes no more than a week for new health insurance cards (electronic copy) to be issued.

HEALTH INSURANCE CONTROLS

Health insurance gives you health coverage based on the terms and conditions that the University and the insurance company agreed to in the insurance policy.

The most important services covered by health insurance are:

• Treatment given in the hospital:
  

  Hospital stay, medical consultation, medications, lab tests and surgical procedures (as stipulated in the insurance policy).

• Treatment given outside a hospital:
  

  Medical consultation, medication, lab tests, daily care given by a nurse, contribution to the intensive care unit room, and contribution to the surgery’s fees and the doctor's fee.

The Fundamentals of Emergency Treatment Abroad while on Vacation or at work:

• Obtaining approval from the insurance company before starting treatment.
• The maximum period of time allowed for submitting medical bills is 45 days for each vacation or period of employment carried out on behalf of the University while abroad.
• Compensation is limited only to the time spent on each period abroad.
• Treatment costs are fixed to the actual, reasonable, and acceptable treatment fees in Oman, even if the treatment fees in Oman are lower.

CLAIM COMPENSATION FOR TREATMENT RECEIVED AT OUTSIDE NETWORK HOSPITALS

In the event that employees go for treatment outside the hospitals that are covered by their insurance policy, they will have to pay for their treatment and reclaim the cost by submitting, within a period of 45 days from the date of treatment, the following documents to HR. It’s important to note that getting a refund is easier when all of the required paperwork is turned in on time and is complete.

• The claim form, completed by the treating physician and signed and approved by the hospital or medical service provider.
• Prescription for medication.
• The original payment receipt, showing the date and all other necessary details.
• The authorization form for treatment, if any.
• The original and detailed treatment reports and lab test reports.
• A copy of the employee’s health insurance card.
• A detailed summary of the patient’s health condition.

All these documents must be submitted to the Health Insurance and Tickets Section to initiate compensation procedures. Compensation is paid to the employee directly by cheque. Note that the process of getting paid is easier and faster if you send in all of the required documents that are filled out and properly documented.

Recruitment and End of Service Section Implements the rules, regulations, boards and decisions of Omani Labor Law and Ministry of Higher Education Research & Innovation as well as the internal boards and decisions of Sohar University. Finalizing recruitment procedures for new academic and administrative staff, in coordination with the respective authorities regarding to the appointments, promotions, bonuses, end of service procedures as well as following up the implementation of decisions taken by the University Administration. Recruitment staff maintaining records of University staff.
Contact Email:IMarzouqi@su.edu.om, NFarsi@su.edu.om, NBalushi@su.edu.om, MMIsaee@su.edu.om

Payroll & Leave Section Calculating salaries and financial benefits for University staff and Monitoring employees’ daily attendance. Also, the section staff Granting recognized certificates as per University rules and regulations.
Contact Email:AAzzani@su.edu.om , IHashm@su.edu.om

Staff Service Section Providing services to staff in terms of work permits, visas and residence cards, according to the laws and regulations in force in Oman, welcoming newly arrived staff at the airport, completing travel procedures for Non-Omani and their families and issuing them with tickets, in coordination with the Procurement & Contracts Department. Also, the section staff preparing health and life insurance cards for those who are eligible according to University regulations, Preparing and approving air ticket encashment requests according to University rules and regulations. Implementation of the provisions and procedures set forth in the Oman Labor Law and the regulations of the University, with respect to visas.
Contact Email:Zaher@su.edu.om , MBalushi@su.edu.om , ANofali@su.edu.om , SBeriki@su.edu.om

Staff Development section seeks to provide Sohar University’s Staff an opportunity for professional growth, ensures that all staff has the opportunity to fulfil their potential through a commitment to continuous professional development. Also, the Annual Staff Development Program, offers a variety of development activities to enhance both the professional and personal development of SU faculty and staff.
Contact Email:MAmree@su.edu.om