Iraqi government plans to ban foreign workers putting jobs of over 60,000 Nepali workers in the country at risk.

“Bill to ban foreign workers is under consideration in the parliament that aims to curb foreign workers,” said Iraqi Labour Minister Nasser al-Rugbaie. “We want to provide more jobs to Iraqi peoples than foreigners to improve law-and-order situation through jobs to youth,” he said.

About 23 per cent Iraqi labour forces are unemployed and they have been creating trouble in the country.
Youth involvement in terrorism and hooliganism are rampant in the country after the seven years of fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. “Large unemployment is a root cause behind the unrest in the country, so we are providing more jobs to nationals,” he said, adding that the government is looking for other options to boost Iraqi job market.
“Even if the law is not passed from the parliament, foreign workers will be bared from existing law effective from August,” he said.
Iraq is banning foreign workers after 11 months of Nepal’s lifting of ban on Iraqi job. The government had lifted ban on Iraq on July 28, 2010 following pressure from American authorities.
Iraqi millionaires recruit foreign workers from poor Asian and African countries for their business and household activities, as they are available in local market for $500 (Rs 36,000) for a month.
Usually, Iraqi employers take responsibility of food and shelter of foreign workers but do not take safety responsibilities.
Situation of foreign workers, including Nepalis is miserable in Iraq. They are earning less than the Iraqi minimum wage $600 per month after spending $5,000 (Rs 3,60,000) to the agent for the job.
“I came to Iraq in 2009 and have been able to hardly save $2,200 in two years,” said a Nepali worker in Karbala Mohan Rai.
About 60,000 Nepalis are working in Iraq and half of them are exposed to danger. “We have no safety, we hide in the basement when violence and clashes erupt,” another Nepali worker from Rupendehi Binaya Sharma said.
Sharma, a department worker in Bagdad, is earning $400 per month, while employer is providing boarding – food and shelter – facilities to him.
According to an estimate, more than 20,000 Nepalis have reached to the destination after the government lifted ban on Iraq, though the bank was not lifted for new workers.
However, the Department of Foreign Employment record revealed that there is not a single Nepalis in Iraq.
The government’s weak mechanism in controlling illegal migration is increasing Nepalis in Iraq, a hostile country of Middle East.

Published on: 23 June 2011 | The Himlayan Times