Interior minister vows crackdown on residency law violators

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, emphasized on Tuesday the government’s commitment to deporting violators of residency laws while simplifying procedures for foreign workers seeking legal compliance. Al-Shammari called for intensified efforts to regularize the status of foreign labor and enforce deportation measures.

In a meeting held at the Directorate of Civil Status, Passports, and Residency, the minister chaired discussions with senior officials, intelligence officers, and representatives from key governmental bodies, including the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, Ministries of Oil, Labor, and Culture, and the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Interior.

The meeting reviewed recent measures to address violations of residency regulations. Al-Shammari stressed the need for continued vigilance in identifying and deporting violators while improving legal adjustment processes for foreign nationals.

Iraq is home to an estimated one million foreign workers, but only 71,000 are officially registered with work contracts, according to the Ministry of Labor. The country relies on Labor Law No. 37 of 2015 and the Foreigners’ Residence Law No. 118 of 1978 to govern foreign labor, requiring permits, valid passports, and entry visas. Violators face fines of up to $500 and deportation.

In 2020, the Ministry of Interior deported 32,000 undocumented workers and reported that 95% of foreign laborers were employed illegally. Many foreign workers, particularly from South Asia, Iran, and Syria, face exploitative practices such as passport confiscation and threats of deportation, contributing to forced labor.

In July, Pakistan’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, disclosed that 50,000 Pakistani pilgrims who entered Iraq for Ashura had gone missing, with many later found to have stayed in the country for work.

In September, the Ministries of Labor and Interior announced plans for an inspection campaign to identify and deport undocumented foreign workers.