Labor Minister calls on firms to hire Iraqis over foreigners
Iraq's Labor Minister Ahmed al-Asadi urged recruitment firms on Monday to prioritize Iraqi workers and reduce reliance on foreign labor.
During a meeting with company representatives, al-Asadi pressed firms to invest in local talent—particularly in oil, electricity, and investment sectors—citing their capacity to stimulate domestic job growth, according to a statement from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
He noted that despite their active role in the labor market, many companies still favor foreign hires over qualified Iraqi candidates.
Al-Asadi pledged support for firms committed to shifting their hiring strategies, affirming the ministry's readiness to streamline legal procedures for those generating local employment.
The discussion also addressed licensing delays, excessive work permit fees, and restrictive residency rules for foreign employees, with al-Asadi directing relevant departments to review these challenges and draft legal amendments.
He concluded by reaffirming the ministry's support for capable, outcome-focused firms, stressing that their success must directly benefit the Iraqi labor market.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
24 minutes ago
- Rudaw Net
Senior KDP, PUK figures to meet Iraqi PM amid financial crisis
Also in Iraq Iraq's three presidencies condemn 'drone attacks' on Kurdistan oil fields Kurdistan Region presidency condemns drone strikes on oil fields, urges Baghdad to act Iraq signs oil deal with US firm Water crisis in Iraq, Kurdistan Region to halve supply per person by 2035: Rudaw Research Center A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a bid to resolve the ongoing financial crisis between Erbil and Baghdad, Rudaw has learned that Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein - a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) figure - are set to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Tuesday, with Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zidan also attending. A well-placed source told Rudaw that a member of the KDP politburo is also expected to attend. The Kurdish officials are scheduled to hold further meetings with several senior Iraqi political leaders on Wednesday morning, the source added. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May after the Iraqi federal finance ministry suspended budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), accusing it of exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the federal budget and failing to deliver the agreed oil quota to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The suspension has left over 1.2 million public servants in the Kurdistan Region without salaries for more than two months. Crucially, the Baghdad meetings come just a day after senior delegations from the Kurdistan Region's ruling parties met in Erbil's Pirmam district to form a 'unified stance' on the financial dispute. A joint statement following the meeting said it was chaired by preeminent Kurdish leader and KDP head Masoud Barzani, with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and PUK leader Talabani also in attendance. The Kurdish parties pledged to adopt a unified strategy to 'intensify efforts' and 'ensure the provision of salaries and entitlements for the Kurdistan Region,' emphasizing that all steps would be taken within the constitutional framework. The high-level meeting notably followed a special session of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers held Sunday to address the worsening financial crisis. A day prior, the KDP had issued a warning, saying it would give Baghdad a 'final chance' to resolve the ongoing budget dispute.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
OPEC: Stronger economy to boost oil demand in second half
Shafaq News OPEC said the global economy may perform better than expected in the second half of the year despite trade conflicts and refineries' crude intake would remain elevated to meet the uptick in summer travel, helping to support the demand outlook. In a monthly report on Tuesday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries left its forecasts for global oil demand growth unchanged in 2025 and 2026 after reductions in April, saying the economic outlook was robust. "India, China, and Brazil are outperforming expectations so far, while the United States and the Eurozone are experiencing a continued rebound from last year," OPEC said in the report. "With this, the second-half 2025 economic growth may turn out better than currently expected." A solid economy shrugging off trade conflicts would make it easier for OPEC+, which groups OPEC plus Russia and other allies, to proceed with its plan to pump more barrels to regain market share after years of cuts aimed at supporting the market. OPEC+ agreed on July 5 to raise production by 548,000 barrels per day in August, further accelerating output increases at its first meeting since oil prices jumped, then retreated, following Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran. Oil prices have not significantly fallen despite the larger than expected OPEC+ hike and U.S. President Donald Trump's 50-day deadline for Russia to end the Ukraine war, finding support from rising seasonal demand. Global refinery crude intake posted a sharp increase of 2.1 million bpd in June from May as refiners returned from maintenance, a sign of a stronger oil market, OPEC said in the report, adding that throughput was likely to stay high. "Refinery intakes globally, and particularly in the U.S., are expected to keep throughputs elevated to meet the seasonal uptick in transport fuel demand, especially that of gasoline, jet/kerosene and residual fuel," OPEC said. OPEC's demand forecasts are at the higher end of the industry range, as the agency expects a slower energy transition than some other forecasters. The International Energy Agency last week trimmed its demand forecasts but said the market may be tighter than it appears as refineries ramp up processing to meet summer travel demand. Brent crude was steady after OPEC published the report, trading close to $69 a barrel. OUTPUT RISING OPEC's report also showed that in June OPEC+ pumped 41.56 million bpd, up 349,000 bpd from May. This is slightly less than the 411,000 bpd hike called for by the group's increase in its June quotas. The actual hike was smaller than the headline increase in quotas partly because some nations, such as Iraq, cut output as part of a pledge to make further reductions for earlier pumping above targets. Still, output in Kazakhstan, which is under pressure to comply with OPEC+ quotas, rose last month after slightly falling in May and remained above the country's quota.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraqi Oil Ministry rejects link to US-sanctioned figure
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Tuesday, Iraq's Ministry of Oil denied any connection to a figure known as 'Omid,' who was recently sanctioned by the US Treasury for allegedly using Iraqi tankers to smuggle Iranian crude. The member of the parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee Baha al-Din al-Nouri told Shafaq News that both Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani and the director general of the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) assured lawmakers during the July 14 session that there was 'no indication of Iraqi oil being mixed with Iranian crude or sold on the market.' Speculation over oil smuggling intensified after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a transportation company, al-Nouri pointed out.
