Expatriate employees prevalent despite high unemployment

Despite the high number of unemployed graduates and youth, Iraq still receives many expatriates, whose number has reached about 1.5 million of different nationalities.

The high number of expatriates has exacerbated the high unemployment rate, created a security and economic burden caused by the increasing external transfers, and increasing demand for public services and commodities in Iraq.

Economists called on the government to control the number of expatriates working in Iraq, especially since there is a high unemployment rate, adding that Iraq does not need expatriates. They also called on the Ministry of Labor to regulate the expatriates in Iraq.

Shop owners in Baghdad told A24 that expatriate employees do not negatively affect the employers, stating that expatriates are more committed to their work and accept lower pay than locals.