Building your business overseas requires locating and hiring top talent. When you expand your company into Iraq, you’ll need to consider a new set of business and cultural norms and employment laws to ensure you remain compliant. Plus, becoming familiar with employment laws and recruiting qualified candidates can require a big time commitment.
Globalization Partners provides global PEO services designed to streamline your recruitment and hiring processes. We can serve as your Employer of Record to hire your new employees through our subsidiary. This means we will take the burden of compliant payroll, compensation, and benefits on our shoulders. Enjoy greater peace of mind so you can focus on a risk-free and successful venture.
Recruiting in Iraq
According to both Iraqi and Kurdish labor laws, you are responsible for notifying the employment office in your area about any of your company’s vacancies with 10 days. If the local office cannot locate an appropriate candidate within 15 days of receipt of the vacancy, you can begin directly recruiting and hiring employees and advertising your positions publicly.
Recruiting Iraqi workers often happens through personal connections and social networks. Word-of-mouth and recommendations from family and friends can go far in securing an open position. Therefore, establishing a strong and expansive company network will be an important element in recruiting and hiring qualified candidates.
You can also advertise your open positions on online job searching websites, including international resources such as Indeed and Glassdoor as well as local recruitment sites. Many companies find talent through mass media advertisements, such as print, radio, and television. Promoting your open positions across a range of mediums will yield your best chance of a successful hire.
How to Hire Employees in Iraq
Once you’ve completed the interview and assessment processes and are confident you’ve found the right fit for your company, you can make the employment relationship official. Employment contracts should be written in Arabic, or Kurdish in the region of Kurdistan, and may specify either a fixed-term or indefinite employment duration. Fixed-term contracts may refer to a period of up to one year and list specific services or work. If a fixed-term contract is extended more than once, it is considered an indefinite-term contract.
Part-time employment contracts are allowed as long as the employee’s weekly work hours range between 12 and 24.
All employment contracts must include information such as:
- Your name
- Your enterprise’s type and address
- The employee’s name, nationality, date of birth, residence, and qualifications
- The nature, duration, type, and commence date of employment
- The wages, date, and place of payment
- The expected working hours
Written contracts must be drafted in three signed copies with one for each party and the third to be deposited with the Department.
Iraq Employment Laws
The country’s employment laws differ according to your company’s location. The Iraqi Labor Law governs employment compliance in the majority of the country. In the semiautonomous Kurdistan region, however, the Kurdish Labor Law presents the regulations for compliance. Differences between these labor laws are not always widely accessible. When hiring employees in Iraq — whether locals or nonresidents — you should consult with local counsel to ensure you are properly following all relevant employment regulations.
Onboarding in Iraq
Due to the region’s political instability over the last several decades, many individuals could not access both technical and soft skills training across various fields. When recruiting local talent, bear the country’s history in mind. Local employees will bring invaluable skills, cultural awareness, and key competencies but may require extra training for specific job-related skill sets.
During the onboarding process, consider a training regime to position new employees for success. During the first week, aim to establish a schedule that includes training programs and helps familiarize employees with your everyday business operations. This may include outlining clear expectations for behavior, a dress code, and timeliness.
Benefits of Hiring Outsourcing in Iraq
Companies are increasingly recognizing the value of hiring outsourcing in Iraq. Turning to an Employer of Record such as Globalization Partners alleviates your responsibility to remain fully compliant with complicated recruitment, hiring, and onboarding laws.
Instead of investing substantial time and upfront costs to establish your own subsidiary, we’ll hire your new talent through our existing entity. That means we’ll take on the risk involved in managing employee contracts, as well as running HR and payroll. Meanwhile, your company can stay connected and up to date with every detail through our convenient digital software.
Outsourcing the hiring process has helped countless companies to:
- Hire new employees with impressive skills and experience.
- Expand quickly and affordably.
- Take advantage of our existing in-country local knowledge and partnerships.
- Focus on building the company instead of wading through the complex fine print of a different legal system.
Work With Globalization Partners To Expand Globally
Recruiting and hiring overseas talent are time-consuming and complicated processes. When you work with Globalization Partners, you’ll experience unmatched support through every stage. We can handle your recruitment, hiring, and onboarding needs as well as your employee management and HR services. We allow you to launch your company expansion with complete confidence, knowing we’re here to handle the details.
Are you ready to learn more about our global PEO, also known as Employer of Record, services? Reach out to our team today.