Search

In the face of growing economic challenges, Iraq’s informal economy, which encompasses over half of the nation’s workforce, has come into sharper focus. As revealed by the 2021 Labour Force Survey, 5.73 million Iraqis—two-thirds of the country's workers—are employed in informal jobs. Key sectors such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing remain dominated by informal labour arrangements, leaving workers without the protections of formal contracts or social security. This informality hampers the development of a sustainable, resilient economy and threatens efforts toward equitable growth.