Oman to hire 3,000 Pinoy nurses, doctors

Secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday announced that the Sultanate of Oman will hire 3, 288 doctors and nurses from other countries in response to a projected shortage of these medical professionals in that host country.

“This latest positive development will certainly boost the chances of our highly-skilled and highly-qualified medical workers, particularly our nurses, of getting a job in Oman if they are inclined to,” Baldoz said.

She cited a report from Philippine Ambassador to Oman Joselito Jimeno which quoted the Minister of Health of Oman, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid al-Saidi, saying the Sultanate is facing a shortage of around 8,900 doctors and nurses going to 2015.

Jimeno disclosed that in a meeting on 26 February 2012, Minister al-Saidi conveyed his country’s intentions to hire more nurses from the Philippines, particularly nurses specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, anesthesiology, surgery (neuro and cardio), intensive care, and psychiatrics.

Professional nurses in Oman receive an average basic salary of $703.79, based on employment contracts processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

The report, furnished the DOLE, said Oman’s Ministry of Health has announced it will hire 3,288 doctors and nurses from other countries in response to this projected shortage.

Jimeno said the MOH will need 4,464 doctors by 2015, but can only source 1,176 of them locally.   

Related to this, Baldoz warned OFWs wanting to work in Oman to apply only with POEA licensed overseas recruitment agencies with verified job orders in Oman to avoid getting illegally recruited.

dole.gov.ph