About 400,000 foreign workers in the local markets... most of them are illegal

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[size=52]About 400,000 foreign workers in the local markets... most of them are illegal[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Murad Hussein[/size]
[size=45]Foreign labor represents a threat to the Iraqi economy and the labor market, as it sometimes undermines job opportunities for the unemployed youth and those looking for them in the local markets and the private sector represented by factories and investment projects, which is the only way after stopping appointments due to job slack in state departments and the lack of financial revenues that hinder the creation of job grades for you The huge number of unemployed and graduates, and sometimes foreign workers are the legitimate way to smuggle hard currency (dollars) out of the country.[/size]
[size=45]The foreign worker receives a monthly salary ranging from 400 to 600 dollars, or it may exceed that. 240 million dollars a month goes out of the country as salaries for foreign workers.[/size]
[size=45]In addition, the spokesman for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Najm Al-Aqabi, said in a statement to (Al-Mada), that “there is no accurate number from any party regarding the existing foreign labor because there is illegal employment, and it is estimated at a guesswork from 250 to 300 thousand workers. “.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Uqabi added, "The legitimate labor granted by the Ministry of Labor with a security permit to work inside Iraq is estimated at 100,000 foreign workers."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that “there is a plan for the ministry to reduce this phenomenon by activating the cabinet’s decisions regarding the employment ratios to be 50% local and the same foreign workers, and the use of local labor instead of foreign workers in building projects, using the capabilities of young people, providing job opportunities for them, and obtaining skilled hands close to these projects.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Uqabi explained, "The Ministry of Labor is cooperating with the Ministry of Interior in the process of granting a visa and limiting some of its types, which caused the entry of these workers randomly and without organization."[/size]
[size=45]The House of Representatives, through the Parliamentary Investment Committee, seeks to amend some provisions of the investment law to be a solution to the problem of unemployment and a deterrent to the smuggling of hard currency abroad.[/size]
[size=45]In turn, a member of the Parliamentary Investment Committee, Muhammad Al-Ziyadi, said in a statement to (Al-Mada), that "the committee seeks, during the current parliamentary session, to amend the investment law in line with protecting local labor and limiting illegal foreign labor in the country."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ziyadi added, "Foreign labor is a bad phenomenon against Iraqi society and the youth, in addition to its destruction of the Iraqi economy."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The government does not have an accurate statistics on the number of foreign workers inside the country, because some of them are illegal and entered unofficially."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ziyadi stressed, "The amendment of the law will oblige all shop owners not to employ foreign workers and to pay attention to local labor."[/size]
[size=45]Article 30 of the Labor Law enacted in 2015 stipulates that “administrations and employers are prohibited from employing any foreign worker in any capacity unless he has a work permit issued by the ministry in return for a fee determined by instructions issued by the minister,” while Article 31 of the law prohibits It is forbidden for a foreign worker to engage in any work before obtaining a work permit. For his part, legal expert Ali Al-Tamimi said in a statement to (Al-Mada) that “Residency Law No. 76 of 2017 regulated the entry process for foreigners and the conditions for granting a visa and conditions for residence, its duration and the sponsor, in addition to separating the types of entry visas from one month to 6 months and the approval of the relevant authorities Relationship".[/size]
[size=45]Al-Tamimi continued, “The workers in shops, salons and laboratories can only work under conditions that may sometimes be unavailable, which means that they have exceeded the entry visa,” noting that “the employer is also responsible before the law in accordance with Articles 43, 41, 40, If it violates the terms of operation.”[/size]
[size=45]Last year, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the government's intention to deport large numbers of migrant workers illegally, noting that the labor law in Iraq was not applied correctly, noting that the law is applied to 4000 thousand workers registered under the Social Security Law, noting that 1.5 million One million unregistered workers until now.[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Major General Khaled Al-Muhanna, said in a statement to (Al-Mada), that "the Ministry of Interior is continuing its campaigns to arrest violators and send them to their countries," noting that "the campaigns come within the framework of controlling illegal foreign workers in the country."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Muhanna pointed out that "5,500 foreign people have been deported to their country since the beginning of this year until now for violating the conditions of residence."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Muhanna added, “The entry visa for foreign workers is within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and not the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior.”[/size]
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