Iraqi degree holders protest delayed appointments in Baghdad
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Dozens of Iraqi university graduates and postgraduates protested in central Baghdad on Monday, demanding government jobs after “years of delayed appointments” and limited hiring opportunities.
Protesters gathered near the Culture Monument before marching toward the Green Zone —the fortified district housing Parliament and key government institutions— carrying banners urging authorities to provide employment for graduates and top-ranking students, Shafaq News correspondent reported.
The demonstration marked the 27th consecutive protest organized by graduates and advanced-degree holders since 2023, according to protester Haider Tarish from southeastern Iraq’s Maysan province, who accused the government of “procrastination and stalling” in addressing their demands.
Only 8,600 positions are currently available through the Federal Public Service Council despite around 43,000 graduates already receiving official employment codes, Tarish told our agency. He described the figure as “insufficient” and called either for the appointment of all graduates who obtained employment codes or priority for those who have continued participating in protests over recent years.
He also pointed to Iraqi laws requiring ministries to allocate a share of public-sector jobs to graduates and holders of advanced degrees, including provisions reserving 15% of available positions for that category.
Last week, Federal Public Service Council spokesperson Fadel Al-Gharawi characterized the appointment of graduates and advanced-degree holders as a legally guaranteed right under the Employment of Top Graduates Law No. 67 and the Employment of Higher Degree Holders Law No. 59 of 2017.
According to Al-Gharawi, 46,918 applicants had applied for employment codes by Sept. 16, 2025, including 22,590 men and 24,328 women, adding that 43,413 graduates and advanced-degree holders have already received employment codes, while appointments remain linked to the approval of Iraq’s 2026 federal budget and the allocation of funding and job positions.
