Indian Embassy in Oman demands NOC for hiring of domestic help from India

The Indian Embassy in Oman is asking for No Objection Certificates (NOC) from prospective employers who want to hire domestic help – maids and nannies – from India.

The Indian Ambassador to Oman, Indra Mani Pandey, was quoted by the Times of Oman as saying that it was taking this step to ensure secure migration and hiring practices.

The Indian Embassy has reportedly made a formal request to the Immigration Department in Oman asking recruiters to get an NOC from them while hiring a domestic helper from India.

At present, an e-Migrate system is in place online for hiring people overseas. It is mandatory for recruiters to apply online to hire any Indian domestic help. Since the online system is overseen by Indian government agencies, migration and recruitment can take place safely.

The Indian government, in 2011, announced changes to the service agreements for Indian domestic help, who were being brought to Oman from India.

These changes were introduced to protect domestic servants from abuse and to provide skilled hands to households in Oman.

These measures were introduced after it came to the Indian government’s notice that many maids were being brought to Oman through dubious means. Pandey said that Oman should cooperate with India to ensure that workers migrate safely and to eliminate fraudulent recruitment methods. She also added that India also needs to have adequate regulations in place, and activities of agents who deceive workers in India should be investigated.