If you’re looking for IT jobs in Bahrain, Kuwait or Oman as a foreigner, start with a realistic picture: these are small tech markets next to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. On Gulf Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026 there were 4 tech jobs in Manama, 9 in Kuwait City and 10 in Muscat, compared with 278 in Riyadh and 193 in Dubai. In all three countries your employer arranges your work permit. Oman also reserves a growing list of jobs for Omanis, including computer programmers from 1 January 2026, and none of the three charges personal income tax today, though Oman will from 2028 for high earners.
This guide covers what the jobs look like, how work permits work, what Omanisation means for IT roles, taxes, and how to search. Rules change, so check the official links before you act. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
The three markets at a glance
| Bahrain | Kuwait | Oman | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech jobs on Gulf Dev Jobs, 16 October 2026 | 4 (Manama) | 9 (Kuwait City) | 10 (Muscat) |
| Companies hiring on the board | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Work permit arranged by | Employer, through LMRA | Employer, through the Public Authority for Manpower | Employer, through the Ministry of Labour |
| Personal income tax | None | None | None until 2028; then 5% above OMR 42,000 a year |
| IT roles reserved for nationals | Not found in our research | Not found in our research | Yes, phased in 2025 to 2027 |
Sources: Manama, Kuwait City and Muscat jobs pages; LMRA; Oman Ministry of Labour; PwC tax summaries; EY.
Our counts cover only the jobs on this board at companies where English is the working language. The real market in each country is bigger, but the gap with the UAE and Saudi Arabia is large.
IT jobs in Bahrain
What’s on the board
On 16 October 2026, the Manama jobs page listed four roles: Senior Data Engineer, Senior Rust Engineer (high-frequency trading) and Rust Engineer (trading systems) at Keyrock, and Backend Development Expert at Tap Payments. All were marked “Remote (Bahrain)”, none asked for Arabic, and none stated visa sponsorship.
So on our board, Bahrain’s tech jobs were all in trading and payments.
Work permits in Bahrain
In Bahrain, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) issues work permits, and the employer applies. LMRA’s fee table, last updated on 31 December 2025, lists (LMRA):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| New, renewal or transfer of work permit, one year | BHD 105, plus BHD 90 basic health care fee (BHD 195 in total) |
| Same, two years | BHD 210, plus BHD 180 health care fee (BHD 390 in total) |
| Monthly fee per worker, first 5 expatriate employees | BHD 7.5 |
| Monthly fee per worker, from the 6th expatriate employee | BHD 12.5 |
| Visit to work permit | BHD 250 |
| Change of occupation | BHD 10 per application |
The employer applies for the permit. Ask your employer which of these fees, if any, they expect you to cover. The visit-to-work-permit fee is relevant if you’re in Bahrain on a visit visa when you get an offer.
Tax in Bahrain
There’s no personal income tax in Bahrain. Employees do pay social insurance contributions to the Social Insurance Organisation (PwC, reviewed July 2026).
Jobs in Kuwait for foreigners
What’s on the board
On 16 October 2026, the Kuwait City jobs page had nine tech jobs at four companies. Most were in fraud analytics and data for banking, posted by Capitex (fraud data analyst, data scientist, product owner for a fraud platform, some starting remote from the UK and then on-site in Kuwait). The others were a Systems Engineer (OT) at Fortinet, two engineering roles at Hitachi, and a VP role in investment analytics at State Street. Two of the nine (22%) stated visa sponsorship, two were fully remote, and none asked for Arabic.
So if you’re looking for “jobs in Kuwait for foreigners with visa sponsorship” in tech, banking and data are the clearest openings on our board right now.
Work permits in Kuwait
In Kuwait, work permits for the private sector are handled by the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), and the employer applies. One rule that catches people out: PAM has required accreditation of expatriates’ university degrees for work permit renewal, with employers applying through PAM’s Ashal electronic portal and submitting an original copy of the degree. Engineers whose degrees are accredited by the Kuwait Society of Engineers were exempt (Gulf News, 2021).
Practical advice: have your degree attested in your home country before you move, and ask your employer early how they handle PAM’s degree checks. We couldn’t open PAM’s own website from outside Kuwait to confirm the current rules and fees, so ask your employer for the latest requirements.
Tax in Kuwait
There’s no personal income tax on individuals in Kuwait (PwC, reviewed July 2026).
Jobs in Oman for foreigners
What’s on the board
The Muscat jobs page had ten tech jobs at seven companies on 16 October 2026: two Automated Operations Engineer roles at Ericsson, a Cyber Security Consultant at Gulf Business Machines, three product and software engineering roles at The Flex, an Enterprise Architect at Nagarro, an AI Product Manager at PhazeRo, a Junior Facility Engineer at Majid Al Futtaim, and an “IT Audit Senior - Omani Talent” role at KPMG. Three (30%) were fully remote, none stated visa sponsorship, and none asked for Arabic.
Note the KPMG title: some employers in Oman advertise roles specifically for Omani nationals. That’s Omanisation at work.
Omanisation and IT roles
Oman restricts a list of professions to Omani nationals, and the list has grown. Ministerial Decree No. 501/2024, published on 1 September 2024, added new restricted professions in phases (EY). The IT-related phases:
| From | Professions restricted for foreign nationals |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2025 | Systems analysts, information systems network specialists, computer maintenance technicians |
| 1 January 2026 | Computer programmers, electronic computer engineers, electronic computer operators |
| 1 January 2027 | Website designers, operations analysts |
What this means for you:
- Job titles matter. An employer can’t get a work permit for a foreigner under a restricted profession. Senior and specialist roles, such as architects, AI specialists and security consultants, are where foreign hiring still happens, as the board shows.
- Check before you accept. Ask your employer which profession your work permit will use and whether it’s open to foreign nationals. The Ministry of Labour has an online inquiry for the status of activities and professions (Ministry of Labour).
- Rules keep changing. The next phase starts on 1 January 2027. Check the Ministry’s site for the current list.
Work permits in Oman
The Ministry of Labour issues work permits through its e-services. The employer applies, and the Ministry lists a fee of OMR 301 for issuing a commercial work permit and the same for renewing non-Omani workforce data (Ministry of Labour).
Tax in Oman
Oman doesn’t tax personal income yet, but that will change. Under Royal Decree No. 56/2025, published in the Official Gazette on 30 June 2025, a 5% personal income tax will apply from 1 January 2028 to income above OMR 42,000 a year (about USD 109,000). A tax resident is anyone present in Oman for more than 183 days in a tax year (EY; PwC).
That threshold is high, so many employees won’t pay. If you’re a senior hire on a high package, factor it in from 2028. For tax in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, see our tax guide.
Should you look in Bahrain, Kuwait or Oman?
Reasons to include them in your search:
- Less competition for niche roles, such as banking fraud analytics in Kuwait or fintech in Bahrain.
- No income tax in Bahrain and Kuwait, and none in Oman until 2028 for most people.
- Remote roles based in the country, such as the Bahrain-based remote jobs on our board.
Reasons to be careful:
- Few openings. Each country had ten or fewer tech jobs on our board. Don’t move without a signed offer.
- Restricted professions in Oman that now include programmers.
- Paperwork, such as degree accreditation in Kuwait.
If you’re flexible on location, widen the search to Doha, Dubai and Riyadh, where there are many more openings. See the UAE and Saudi job market for tech in numbers for the full picture, and our guide to cybersecurity jobs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia if that’s your field.
How to apply
- Search by city on the board: Manama, Kuwait City, Muscat, and remote jobs that accept people based in the Gulf.
- Apply on the employer’s own site. Every job on Gulf Dev Jobs links to the employer’s application page.
- Get your degree attested early. Kuwait checks degrees for work permits, and attestation can take weeks.
- Confirm the work permit profession before you resign from your current job, especially in Oman.
- Never pay for a job. In all three countries the employer applies for your work permit. Be wary of anyone who asks you for “visa processing” money.
Frequently asked questions
Are there IT jobs in Bahrain for foreigners?
Yes, but not many on our board. On 16 October 2026, Manama had four tech jobs, all with Keyrock and Tap Payments, all remote within Bahrain, and none asked for Arabic. Trading and payments firms were the tech employers we saw there.
What is the IT salary in Bahrain?
None of the Bahrain ads on our board stated a salary on 16 October 2026, and we don’t estimate pay. Remember there’s no personal income tax in Bahrain, but employees pay social insurance contributions. Ask for the full package, including housing and transport allowances.
Can foreigners get jobs in Kuwait with visa sponsorship?
Yes. Employers apply for work permits through Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower. On our board, two of the nine Kuwait City tech jobs stated visa sponsorship on 16 October 2026, both in banking fraud analytics. Expect your degree to be checked for the work permit.
Can foreigners work as software developers in Oman?
Some can, but check the job title. Since 1 January 2026, Oman has restricted “computer programmers” and some other IT professions to Omani nationals, and website designers follow on 1 January 2027. Senior roles such as architects and AI product managers were still open to foreigners on our board.
Does Oman have income tax?
Not yet. From 1 January 2028, Oman will charge 5% personal income tax on income above OMR 42,000 a year under Royal Decree No. 56/2025. Only income above the threshold is taxed.
Where can I find software jobs in Muscat?
Start with the Muscat jobs page, which had ten tech jobs on 16 October 2026 at companies such as Ericsson, Nagarro and Gulf Business Machines. Apply on each employer’s own site.