In everyday English, "nanny" and "babysitter" often mean almost the same thing. In Oman, the difference matters more. A nanny is a legal job with its own licence and rules. Babysitting for a few hours raises a different question: who is allowed to do it?
This guide explains both, what each costs, and the rule that surprises many families: a helper employed by another household cannot babysit for you.
The short answer
| Nanny | Babysitter | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Regular, usually full-time | Occasional, a few hours |
| Main job | Looking after your children | Short-term care, e.g. an evening out |
| Who employs her | Your family, with a Ministry of Labour licence | No ongoing employment |
| Rules | Written contract and rights under MD 574/2025 | Depends on who is doing it (see below) |
| Live-in or live-out | Either | Not applicable |
A nanny in Oman
A listed occupation. Oman's domestic worker regulation, Ministerial Decision (MD) 574/2025, lists 12 occupations. Nanny (مربية أطفال) is one of them, alongside housemaid, private driver and home health assistant (Article 2). A nanny employed by your family has the same legal protections as any other domestic worker.
You need your own licence. A family may not bring in a worker without a licence from the Ministry of Labour (Article 8). The permit is issued through Ministry of Labour e-service 290. The fee is OMR 101 per worker for one to three workers, and OMR 141 per worker from the fourth. If the nanny already lives in Oman, her licence moves to you through e-service 286. Our guide Hiring a housemaid who is already in Oman explains that process, and it works the same way for a nanny.
The occupation on the licence matters. You may not employ a worker in a different occupation from the one she is licensed for (Article 9). If childcare will be her main job, the licence should reflect that. If you want one person to do both housework and childcare, ask the Ministry of Labour (call centre 80077000) which occupation fits.
Her rights. Under MD 574/2025 a nanny must have:
- a written contract in Arabic (or with an Arabic copy), registered with the Ministry of Labour (Article 19);
- hours within the legal limit (Article 22): MD 574/2025 caps the working day at 12 hours with at least 8 hours' rest; how breaks count is a question for legal counsel;
- at least one paid rest day a week (Article 23);
- at least 21 days of paid annual leave a year, and up to 30 days of paid sick leave (Articles 24 and 25);
- food, a suitable room and health insurance (Articles 13, 14 and 16).
Our guide to Oman's domestic worker rules covers all of these.
Live-in or live-out. Both are possible for your own licensed nanny. If she lives outside your home, you must give her free transport to and from work (Article 15). See Live-in or live-out help in Oman.
Age. A nanny must be at least 21 (Article 6).
A babysitter in Oman
A babysitter looks after children occasionally, for a few hours. Think of a wedding, a dinner out, or a school holiday afternoon. It is not an ongoing job like a nanny's.
For occasional care, many families start with people close to them, such as grandparents and other relatives.
Your own nanny or housemaid. If you already employ a nanny or housemaid, she can look after the children in the evening, but only within the rules on hours. MD 574/2025 caps the working day at 12 hours with at least 8 hours' rest; how breaks count is a question for legal counsel. Up to 2 extra hours a day are allowed only if she agrees in writing and receives extra pay (Article 22). Her weekly rest day is hers. If she works on it, she must agree in writing and receive an extra day's pay, or another rest day (Article 23).
Babysitting services and platforms. Some online platforms list babysitters in Muscat. If you use one, ask whether the person is legally allowed to work for you. A domestic worker employed by another household is not (see the next section). The rules for other residents depend on their own residence and work status. This guide does not cover them, so check with the Ministry of Labour.
Can another family's helper babysit?
No. In some places it is common to "borrow" a neighbour's housemaid for an evening, or to pay a helper a little extra to babysit on her rest day. Oman's rules do not allow this.
MD 574/2025, Article 9, says an employer must not:
- allow the worker licensed to them to work for someone else, or for herself;
- employ a worker who is not licensed to them.
The rule is broken on both sides. The family who lends the helper breaks it, and so does the family who uses her. The administrative fine is OMR 50 to 500 for each violation, multiplied by the number of workers involved (Article 39).
The Labour Law may also apply. It sets criminal penalties for employing another employer's worker without Ministry of Labour authorisation: prison of 10 days to 1 month and/or a fine of OMR 1,000 to 2,000 per worker. A worker who works for someone other than her licensed employer can face permit cancellation, deportation and a ban on entering Oman (Labour Law, Royal Decree 53/2023, Articles 29 and 143). Experts disagree on whether these Labour Law articles cover domestic workers. The rule in MD 574/2025 applies either way.
Part-time employment under the Labour Law's part-time rules is limited to Omanis (Ministerial Decision 13/2025).
The person with the most to lose is the worker. Asking another family's helper to babysit puts her work licence and her right to stay in Oman at risk.
This is why OmanHousemaids does not list part-time, hourly or babysitting work. The licensed employer rule applies even for a few hours.
What each option costs
A nanny
- Salary. You agree the monthly salary in the contract (Article 19). Oman has no minimum wage for migrant workers. Some home countries set their own minimum for contracts they approve. Our salary guide explains how pay is set.
- Government fees. The Ministry of Labour permit is OMR 101 per worker for one to three workers. Registering the contract costs OMR 1. If the nanny already lives in Oman, the transfer fee is OMR 5 (MD 602/2025).
- Ongoing costs. Food and a suitable room, or free transport if she lives out, plus health insurance (Articles 13–16).
- End-of-service pay. Half a month's salary for each year of service. It is due only after at least 2 years, and only service from 13 October 2025 counts (Article 31).
A babysitter
- There is no official rate. We have not found reliable figures for occasional babysitting in Oman, so we do not quote any.
- If your own nanny or housemaid babysits beyond her normal hours, extra hours need her written agreement and extra pay (Article 22).
Which one fits your family?
Ask yourself these questions:
- How much childcare do you need? If you need help every day, or most days, a nanny is the usual choice.
- Do you also need help with housework? You may be looking for a housemaid who also helps with the children. Check with the Ministry of Labour which occupation fits the job you have in mind.
- Do you have a suitable room? A live-in nanny needs a room that meets the standard in Article 14. If not, a live-out nanny is possible, with free transport.
- Is it only the occasional evening? Ask relatives first. If you already employ a nanny or housemaid, agree any extra hours with her in writing and pay for them.
If a nanny is right for you, our guide to interviewing a housemaid or nanny covers the legal checks and the questions to ask. You can browse nanny profiles, listed by nannies who already live in Oman, or post a job and let nannies contact you.