GCC Markets · current conditions as of 11 October 2026 · fundamentals reviewed 16 October 2026
🇴🇲 Doing business in Oman
Stable and diversifying economy with logistics strengths.
Long-term risk: Medium
Current alert: High
Hit less heavily than Kuwait or the UAE, but ports at Duqm, Salalah and Sohar were struck earlier in 2026 and several ships were attacked off Oman in early October. Ports outside the Gulf partly offset disruption; Oman remains active in mediation.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to normal commercial shipping since 28 Feb 2026: official daily transit counts remain in single digits on most days (vs ~85 pre-war), and much of the remaining traffic sails with transponders off. Attacks on ships became near-daily in early October (12 in the week to 7 Oct, the most since the war began) and the US blockade of Iran continues. Talks have stalled: Washington has not accepted Iran's late-September proposals, and on 4 Oct Iran said the strait will stay closed until its conditions are met. Oman has been hit less heavily than other Gulf states and plays a mediation role; its ports outside the strait (Duqm, Salalah) offer some rerouting capacity, though ships off its coast were among those attacked in October.
Conditions change fast. Check current government travel and trade advisories before acting.
What makes up the long-term score
Highlights: Strategic port locations · Oman Vision 2040 · Growing tourism sector
Key industries
Oil & Gas → Stable
PDO is the main oil producer. Oman LNG exports to Asia are a key revenue source. Block exploration ongoing.
Main investors: Shell, TotalEnergies, China, India
Logistics & Ports ↑ Growing
Port of Salalah and Sohar Industrial Port are major regional logistics hubs with significant expansion underway.
Main investors: China, UAE, India, Netherlands
Tourism ↑ Strong growth
Oman Vision 2040 targets tourism as a major GDP contributor. Natural, cultural and adventure tourism are priorities.
Main investors: UAE, UK, Germany, India
Manufacturing & Mining ↑ Growing
Special Economic Zones at Duqm and Sohar offering competitive incentives for industrial and manufacturing investment.
Main investors: China, India, South Korea, UAE
Sector priorities
- Logistics & Port Services: Duqm SEZ and Sohar Port offer competitive incentives and strategic location between Asia, Africa and Europe.
- Tourism & Hospitality: Underdeveloped tourism sector relative to regional peers creating first mover advantage for hotel and hospitality investors.
- Renewable Energy: Oman targeting 30% renewable energy by 2030 with major solar and green hydrogen projects in development.
Talent & work permits
Oman has a young national workforce with universities producing 40,000 graduates annually. English widely used in business.
- Foreign workers: Work visa required and employer sponsored. Integrated visa system managed through Ministry of Labour portal.
- Localisation: Omanisation quotas range from 15% in industry to 60% in financial services. Enforced by Ministry of Labour.
- Key consideration: Oman is investing heavily in vocational training to improve national workforce readiness for private sector roles.
Summarised from our dataset and not yet linked to sources. Verify with local counsel before acting.
How to enter: first four steps
Oman offers straightforward market entry via the Invest Easy portal. Special Economic Zones offer enhanced incentives.
- Register via Invest Easy portal: Omans online one stop shop for business registration and licencing
- Consider SEZ locations: Duqm, Sohar and Salalah offer tax holidays and 100% foreign ownership
- Register with Oman Tax Authority: corporate income tax at 15% applies to most businesses
- Develop Omanisation plan: submit workforce localisation plan to Ministry of Labour before hiring
Indicative cost: 10-person team
Professional-services team (1 senior manager, 5 professionals, 2 admin, 2 support), Grade A office, registration, legal, audit and tax compliance. Model estimate, not a quote.
First year by industry (10 people)
Compare with GCC Markets peers
Tap a market to see it side by side with Oman.
Common questions
Is Oman a good market to enter in 2026?
Oman has a long-term score of 7.1/10 on EmergingMarketIQ’s index (long-term risk: Medium) and scores 4.8/10 now, as of 11 October 2026. Stable and diversifying economy with logistics strengths. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to normal commercial shipping since 28 Feb 2026: official daily transit counts remain in single digits on most days (vs ~85 pre-war), and much of the remaining traffic sails with transponders off. Attacks on ships became near-daily in early October (12 in the week to 7 Oct, the most since the war began) and the US blockade of Iran continues. Talks have stalled: Washington has not accepted Iran's late-September proposals, and on 4 Oct Iran said the strait will stay closed until its conditions are met. Oman has been hit less heavily than other Gulf states and plays a mediation role; its ports outside the strait (Duqm, Salalah) offer some rerouting capacity, though ships off its coast were among those attacked in October.
How much does it cost to set up a 10-person office in Oman?
Our cost model estimates about US$967k for the first year (≈US$77k per month run-rate plus ≈US$19k one-off setup) for a 10-person professional-services team; depending on industry the range is US$798k–US$1.1M. Indicative only.
What are the first steps to set up a company in Oman?
Register via Invest Easy portal: Omans online one stop shop for business registration and licencing Then: Consider SEZ locations: Duqm, Sohar and Salalah offer tax holidays and 100% foreign ownership Then: Register with Oman Tax Authority: corporate income tax at 15% applies to most businesses Then: Develop Omanisation plan: submit workforce localisation plan to Ministry of Labour before hiring
Source: EmergingMarketIQ country dataset. Current conditions and alerts updated 11 October 2026; GDP (World Bank 2025) and FX 24 September 2026; structural scores reviewed 16 October 2026. Rules, rates and conditions change, so verify with local counsel before acting. Not legal, tax or investment advice.