Social Security Coverage Doubles for Workers in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region

More than 434,000 private-sector wage employees fall under the Kurdistan Region’s social security law, according to figures measured for the first time through the 2021 Iraq Labour Force Survey.

The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, the International Labour Organization and the European Union have marked five years of cooperation that has helped more private-sector workers enter the Region's social security system, improved public services and laid the groundwork for stronger protection against sickness, maternity and workplace injuries.

The partnership was celebrated at an event in Erbil co-hosted by the ILO and the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The work forms part of the EU-UN Joint Programme on Social Protection in Iraq, funded by the European Union and delivered by the ILO, UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

More Workers Gain Access to Social Protection

More than 434,000 private-sector wage employees fall under the Kurdistan Region's social security law, according to figures measured for the first time through the 2021 Iraq Labour Force Survey. The proportion of workers registered with the system increased from 20 percent in 2021 to more than 40 percent in 2025.

Women also gained greater representation among newly registered workers, with their share rising from around 13 percent to almost 23 percent. The improvement offers more women a route into formal protection while showing that further work is needed to close remaining gaps in participation.

KRI Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Kwestan Mohamad thanked the EU, the ILO and other partners for helping advance social security, digital services, private-sector pensions and working conditions. She also highlighted the increase in the Region's minimum wage from 275,000 to 450,000 Iraqi dinars and called for digital services to be fully introduced so private-sector workers can receive faster and better support.

Digital Reforms Cut Waiting Times from a Month to Hours

Administrative reforms have made a visible difference for employers and workers using the system. Nineteen procedures at the Erbil social security directorate have been redesigned to reduce paperwork, costs and delays, allowing a document that previously took as much as one month to be processed in around two hours.

The Ministry presented pilot versions of its online social security services, job-matching platform and grievance-handling portal during the event. These tools could make it easier for workers to register, find employment opportunities, submit concerns and receive services without repeated visits to government offices.

A tripartite technical working group created by the Ministry in 2024 has held six meetings with the Kurdistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Kurdistan United Workers Union. Their discussions produced a regional strategy focused on expanding coverage and helping more workers and businesses move into the formal economy.

New Law Could Expand Protection Across Workers' Lives

Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Iraq, said European support had focused on building lasting institutions instead of providing one-time assistance. He called for stronger financial and administrative sustainability alongside short-term protection for workers facing employment injuries, illness or maternity-related income loss.

ILO Deputy Regional Director for Arab States Claire Courteille-Mulder praised the Kurdistan Region's commitment as it prepares legislation aligned with ILO Convention No. 102 and Iraq's federal Law No. 18 of 2023. Iraq ratified the convention in March 2023 and accepted all nine branches of social security protection, a level of commitment adopted by relatively few ratifying countries.

Every new registration creates a responsibility that may continue for 20 to 50 years or more. The next phase will include the first actuarial valuation in the scheme's history, the introduction of sickness and maternity benefits, and stronger capacity among government, employer and worker representatives.