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MUSCAT — The number of Omani employees registered with the Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI) stood at 146,384 by the end of November 2008, compared to 131,775 by the end of 2007, constituting a 11.1 per cent rise.

The statistical bulletin, published by the Ministry of National Economy, showed that the total number of foreign workers in the private sector rose by 23.3 per cent as at the end of November 2008 to 787,176 employees as compared to 638,447 during 2007. As for the distribution of expatriates manpower in the private sector, the bulletin showed an increase in their number in some sectors, except for educational sector in which it fell by 17.5 per cent, health and social work (4.1 per cent), personal community services (5 per cent) and the international organisations (97.3 per cent).

The number of expatriate manpower in the construction sector rose by 32.9 per cent to 294,322, the wholesale and retail and automobile repair rose by 18.4 per cent to 122,284, the food process rose by 22.4 per cent to 84,121 and housemaids rose by 52.5 per cent to 97,010 employees.

The bulletin indicated that the number of expatriate manpower in the agriculture sector rose at the end of November 2008, by 9pc to 63,223, the hotels and restaurants sector by 17.5pc to 44,818 employees. The total number of expatriate manpower in the real estate sector stood at 20,337, constituting an 80.4pc rise. The number of expatriates in the mining and quarrying sector rose by 13.6pc by the end of November 2008 to 14,254, and by 44.6pc in the transport, storage and communications to 11,965, a 5.9pc increase in fishing sector to 2,987 employees. The number of foreign workers in the brokerage sector rose by 29.6pc to 2,441 while their number in other economic sectors reached 4,605.

The number of expatriate workers in engineering and associated professions rose by

33.3pc to 347,607, while their number in the services sector rose by 18.6pc.

Their number in agriculture, animal and poultry breeding and hunting rose by 8.7pc to reach 66,758. The number of foreigners specialised in scientific, technical and human matters rose by 18.1pc to 61,445 and the number of technicians rose by 10.5pct to 53,828.

Their number in the industrial, chemical and food processing sectors rose by 24.9pc by the end of November 2008 to 41,376, and the general and business managers rose by 20.1pc to 24,836, 17.5pc in sales to 27,443. Their number in the clerical posts rose by 13pc to 2,326.

The number of expatriate manpower with masters degree fell by 2pc by the end of November 2008 compared to 2,400 in 2007.

The number of illiterate expatriate manpower rose by 9.6pc to 4,009, holders of preliminary certificates rose by 11.5pc to 77,110 and preparatory certificates rose by 27.7 to 214,239 and the general certificates by 31.5pc to 99,794.

The number of expatriate manpower with diploma degree rose by 19.2pc to 27,037, the number of degree holders rose to 21.3pc to 82,844: holders of doctorate degree rose by 7.7pc to 1,813. The number of expatriate manpower whose education level is not known stood at 769, while the number of higher diplomat holder to 20 employees. The number of expatriates who know how to read and write stood at 277,141 unchanged.