New Delhi: The Indian embassy in Oman has made it compulsory for all emigrant Indian workers to have their job contracts registered at the embassy even before they leave home. 

"This is part of the embassy's endeavour to minimise problems faced by Indian workers in that Gulf nation", India's ambassador to Oman A.K. Attri said. 

Non-payment or delay in payment of salaries, bad living conditions and non-renewal of workers' visas by employers are some of the issues that need to be sorted out, said Attri, who is here to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2007, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora. 

According to Attri, most problems would vanish if the emigrating worker properly registered his job contract even before leaving home.

 "That will give us a stronger locus standi if the worker faces any problem," Attri told sources.

The situation gets complicated when workers in remote areas do not inform the embassy about the problems they face.

"We have been sending consular teams to these remote areas and we publicise these visits through the local media well in advance," he said.

This apart, the embassy has also started using consular agents - like Indian professionals, businessmen - who work on a voluntary basis.

Illegal stay, a result of non-renewal of worker's visa, is a major problem.

"Illegal stay in Oman can result in fines of up to lakhs of rupees," Attri said.

But this problem had been solved to a large extent with the Oman government waiving penalties in the case of Indian workers in October 2005.

"We have already sent back around 15,000 Indians illegally staying in Oman since then. These include people who have been staying in that country since the 1970s," he said.

"Asked how many companies in Oman the embassy had blacklisted for exploiting Indian workers," he said.

Most of these were in the construction or services sector. 

The Indian embassy, which has been constantly working with Oman's labour ministry, has set up a 24-hour hotline for the workers. 

"This number is now printed on the labour card that the Oman government issues and which the worker has to compulsorily carry with him all the time," Attri said.

The embassy had also started free legal counselling sessions and appointed a panel of local law firms on a retainership basis.

"Here, I must say that the courts in Oman are very fair and give very strong decisions in favour of workers," Attri said.

According to the ambassador, problems faced by Indian workers in Oman had been less than other countries in the Gulf. Of the around five million Indian workers in the Gulf, around 400,000 live in Oman.

Last year, around 50,000 Indians emigrated to Oman while 25,000 came back, including those who were sent back for staying illegally.