By John Lee. BasNews reports that the unemployment rate in Kurdistan has risen from 7 percent at the end of 2013 to 10 percent currently. The number unemployed is nearly 100,ooo, of which 52 percent are men. The increase has been blamed on the general economic situation in Iraqi Kurdistan, and on the sanctions that Baghdad […]
By John Lee. The KRG is to form a committee to lay down the mechanism for foreign workers to apply for work in the Kurdistan Region, according to AKnews. Abbas Akram, press secretary for Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, said the committee is intended to help to secure the rights of the foreign workers […]
Iraq's Minister for Planning and Development Cooperation, Ali Yusuf Al Shukri, has announced unemployment in Iraq of about 16%, with a poverty rate of about 11%, according to Alsumaria TV. “Poverty and unemployment rates are decreasing in Iraq after Iraqi GDP improved and investment in constructions and services projects increased,” Shukri told the news agency, stressing […]
USAID-supported job training, apprenticeships and microfinance loans help unemployed Iraqi youth secure meaningful work. CHALLENGE. At the start of 2010 Iraq had the highest rates of unemployment in the Middle East. Thirty percent of its adults lacked jobs. More than half of the country's young urban males were unemployed. At 19 percent, female participation in […]
The parliamentary Finance Committee said on Sunday that it is considering adding 42,000 jobs to the 58,000 allocated in the 2012 budget, according to AKnews. On Jan. 5 the Iraqi government approved the 2012 budget of $100 billion USD (117 trillion IQD) with a deficit of up to $13.5 billion USD (20.5 trillion IQD), based […]
Bangladesh expects to export manpower to Iraq by the end of this year, according to its Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister, Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain. A Bangladeshi delegation recently visited Iraq at the invitation of Iraqi labour minister. "Within next two months, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed between Bangladesh and Iraq for […]
This article was written by Hazim al-Sharaa, and was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net. It is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The ministry of labour has drawn criticism […]
When tacking the problems of unemployment and illegal work practices, Iraq has a difficult balancing act to achieve. On one hand, a civilised country cannot accept a situation where foreign labourers are tricked by traffickers to get them into the country illegally, and then told their pay will be a fraction of the minimum wage […]
By Layth Mahdi, Agricultural Advisor. The opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Agricultural development plays a key role in achieving human well-being, maintains food security, reduces poverty and mitigates violence. In addition, it contributes to the protection of natural resources, environmental stability and […]
A number of Iraqi trade unions and NGOs called for a new labor law, lifting restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and association, more job opportunities and social security for the unemployed, according to a report from Aswat al-Iraq. “The trade unions and activities of civil society organizations in Iraq stress their demands compatible with […]
A major project for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of west Baghdad’s al-Sadr City will employ between 75,000 and 100,000 people during its implementation period, and another 50,000, Baghdad’s Mayor, Sabir al-Issawi said on Wednesday. According to the report from Aswat al-Iraq news agency, Issawi stressed that the project would comprise the construction of several multi-storey […]
Visa problems for foreign workers in Iraq continue to make the headlines. Last week we reported on the difficulties caused by a decision to channel visa applications through the office of the Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki; now we hear that the Basra Investment Commission has imposed its own restrictions, with the intention of reducing unemployment. […]
