Security official calls for balance between labor needs and expertise

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, called Tuesday for regulating Iraq’s foreign labor market to balance market needs with the country’s demand for specialized expertise.

Al-Shammari chaired a meeting to review and verify the status of foreign workers in Iraq, focusing on mechanisms for implementing the commander-in-chief’s directives on monitoring foreign labor and ensuring that relevant legal procedures comply with applicable laws and regulations.

He stressed the need to address cases of foreign workers operating outside legal frameworks in accordance with the law. Al-Shammari also called for stronger inspection, oversight and monitoring by the relevant authorities, citing the potential economic, security and social consequences of violations.

Several months ago, Iraq’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs said 47,000 foreign workers were officially registered in the country, complied with legal requirements, and held work permits issued by the ministry.

Read more: International Labor Day in Iraq: A holiday in search of its workers