Basra flags criminal records among foreign oil workers in Iraq

Shafaq News- Basra

Many foreign workers in Iraq’s oil fields have prior criminal convictions and have served prison sentences in their home countries, an official told Shafaq News on Sunday.

According to Haidar Al-Maryani, the head of the council’s Labor and Social Affairs Committee, security clearances for the entry of such workers are issued by federal authorities, adding that this “places greater responsibility on those bodies to verify each worker’s legal status and adopt stricter screening standards, given that work inside oil fields requires high levels of discipline and reliability.”

He also called for reviewing the regulations governing foreign labor recruitment to better protect the work environment and ensure a balanced labor market that addresses security concerns while expanding employment opportunities for local workers.

The issue comes amid broader debates over foreign labor in Basra’s oil sector. The province, which hosts some of Iraq’s largest oil fields, employs a significant number of foreign workers, particularly in technical and senior positions. This workforce structure coincides with a marked wage gap, as expatriate employees earn substantially higher salaries and receive broader benefits than Iraqi staff performing comparable roles.

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