KRG sets 450,000 dinar minimum wage for cleaners

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Regional Government has set the minimum monthly wage for cleaning workers at 450,000 Iraqi dinars ($305), with a standard workday defined as eight hours, according to a document issued by the KRG Council of Ministers.

Kawa Sheikh Ali, a member of the Kurdistan Parliament, shared the letter, dated Jan. 13. The letter, titled “Cleaners’ Wages,” was addressed to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

According to the document, the wage condition applies within contracts between the government and companies employing cleaners.

Sheikh Ali stated that this requirement must be considered during the tendering process, particularly in municipalities and health institutions, ensuring that contracted workers receive no less than the set wage.

Many sanitation and cleaning workers across the Kurdistan Region receive pay below the set level. Workers in private contracts have reported salaries as low as 300,000 dinars ($203). Local labor advocates and rights bodies have expressed concern that these wages are insufficient to meet the cost of living, calling for further increases and stronger enforcement of the minimum wage. Many workers operate on temporary company contracts, which limits their job security and access to workplace protections. Even long‑serving workers report low wages despite strenuous daily work.