Nearly 500 expat workers deported in a week

Muscat: A total of 442 expats were arrested for violating the Labour Law and another 490 deported in one week, Oman's Ministry of Manpower announced.

The Ministry released its weekly indicators of expatriate workers who were arrested through joint operations. The workers were arrested between January 11 and 19, 2011.

Of the total arrested, 241 had left their jobs, 31 were freelance workers, and 31 of them were undocumented. Muscat, the capital, recorded the highest number of arrests with 144, followed by A'Sharqiyah governorate with 59.

The competent authorities at the Ministry of Manpower are currently taking the appropriate legal action against the workers.

During the same week, 490 violating labourers were deported for "violating the provisions of the Labour Law," the ministry said.