Iraq adopts new plan for foreign labor recruitment

BAGHDAD, January 3 — Iraq’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has initiated a plan to recruit skilled foreign workers in an effort to bolster the country’s workforce.

Osama Al-Khafaji, Director of the Ministry’s Department of Labor and Vocational Training, explained in a statement to Al-Sabah newspaper that the plan ultimately aims to build capacity among Iraqi workers.

“The ministry has begun implementing the new recruitment mechanisms for foreign labor, which will be restricted to the recruitment of skilled workers. This is aimed at training the national workforce through projects in order to increase skills and enhance competencies,” Al-Khafaji said.

He added, “The ministry has mandated that all investment projects, and the private sector, employ national labor according to the specified ratio in the labor law.”