MP Jassim Al-Moussawi of the State of Law Coalition has called on the Iraqi government to take firm action on the issue of foreign labor, saying it is placing increasing pressure on the country’s economy and limiting job opportunities for Iraqi citizens.
Speaking to local media, Al-Moussawi said the large number of foreign workers in Iraq has become an economic challenge because significant amounts of money are being transferred abroad, leading to an outflow of foreign currency from the country.
He stressed that the government should implement stronger measures to regulate the labor market and give greater priority to Iraqi workers across different sectors.
According to Al-Moussawi, creating more opportunities for local workers would help strengthen the economy, reduce unemployment, and provide better prospects for Iraqi youth. He argued that relying heavily on foreign labor continues to have negative economic and social consequences.
Official estimates indicate that Iraq hosted between 800,000 and one million foreign workers in 2025, while the number of officially registered workers was only a small fraction of that total, highlighting the scale of the issue and the challenges facing labor market regulation.
The debate over foreign labor remains closely tied to concerns about unemployment, economic development, and the government’s efforts to create more jobs for Iraqi citizens.
