Labor minister reports cut in unemployment, crackdown on ineligible aid recipients

BAGHDAD — Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ahmed al-Asadi said his ministry has reduced unemployment by three percentage points, uncovered widespread ineligibility among social aid recipients, and recovered billions of dinars in misused funds.

“We assumed leadership of the ministry with approximately 1.4 million individuals covered by the social protection benefits,” al-Asadi told Al-Forat TV. “We launched a major social survey campaign on Jan. 15, 2025, to eliminate favoritism and nepotism.”

On employment, he said the jobless rate dropped from 16.5% to 13.5% during his tenure, citing loan programs and initiatives for graduates.

Al-Asadi also highlighted concerns over foreign labor, particularly Syrians. “90% of Syrian workers are present illegally in the country and need to be regulated,” he said, noting Iraqi law requires that 50% of hires be domestic workers.

He added that laborers from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Iran enter through illegal routes, while “1,000 Pakistanis with violations were deported in one day” in coordination with the Interior Ministry.

The minister said the government’s measures were aimed at curbing irregular labor, enforcing legal hiring standards, and safeguarding opportunities for Iraqis.

Excerpts from Al-Asadi’s interview with Al-Forat TV:

We assumed leadership of the ministry with approximately 1.4 million individuals covered by the social protection benefits.

We launched a major social survey campaign on January 15, 2025, to eliminate favoritism and nepotism.

We adopted an electronic platform that allows any citizen who believes they are eligible to apply for social protection assistance.

We managed to include about 350,000 families through allocations from the Food Security Law, then expanded through the 2023 budget to cover nearly 650,000 families.

During the major survey campaign, I personally visited families, accompanied by heads of agencies and general directors.

We managed to cover all villages, districts, sub-districts, and poor areas in 15 governorates.

We uncovered 900,000 individuals ineligible for social welfare who own luxury cars and properties.

We discovered 350,000 cases of aid misuse and recovered more than 200 billion dinars.

When we took over the ministry, the unemployment rate was 16.5%.

The ministry’s efforts through loan programs and graduation initiatives helped reduce unemployment by three points, bringing it down to 13.5%.

Foreign labor in the country is one of the problems that needs real solutions.

Syrian labor entered the country illegally through the Kurdistan Region.

Problems related to Syrian labor are minimal, and what is circulated about them is propaganda.

Syrian workers have contributed to the advancement of tourism and hotel sectors in the country.

90% of Syrian workers are present illegally in the country and need to be regulated.

According to Iraqi law, any employer hiring foreign labor must employ an equal number of Iraqi workers at a rate of 50%.

Foreign workers who are present illegally entered the country using emergency, visit, or tourist visas.

According to Interior Ministry reports, millions enter Iraq during religious visits, and thousands do not return.

Some labor enters through smuggling routes, coming from Bangladesh to Afghanistan, Iran, and then Iraq.

The Ministry of Interior has arrested gangs of Pakistanis involved in kidnapping and murder.

We informed the Minister of Interior about the presence of Pakistanis, and in one day, 1,000 Pakistanis with violations were deported.

A restaurant owner employing 20 Syrian workers must hire Iraqi workers in equal proportion, or else we will not be lenient and will impose fines.

We transferred about 31,000 social protection beneficiaries to contracts with the Ministry of Interior.

According to the Social Security Law, a worker who reaches 50 years of age has the right to request retirement if they have at least 15 years of verified service.