How do you hire an Iraq employee in 2026?
Iraq caps probation at 3 months by law. During that window, either side can end the contract with just 7 days notice. After probation, employer notice rises to 30 days for the first five years of service. Foreign nationals need a valid work permit in place before their start date.
· Iraq guide
Illustration · Baghdad, Iraq
The Iraq hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-permit check, written employment contract, onboarding registration, first payday.
Probation is capped at 3 months under Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015. Notice during probation is 7 days for either side.
Foreign nationals must hold a valid work permit before they start. Teamed handles the permit process and the full onboarding sequence.
What does the end-to-end Iraq hire process look like?
Five steps from accepted offer to first payslip: offer letter, work-permit check, written employment contract, onboarding registration, first payday.
The permit check is the gate. A foreign national cannot start before the permit is in place.
| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, probation terms, and any conditions | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-permit check | Verify Iraqi nationality or confirm a valid work permit for foreign nationals before start date | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Written employment contract | Signed written contract covering all required terms under the Labour Law | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one |
| 4. Onboarding registration | Register the employee with the social security authority, collect tax ID, set up bank details | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| 5. First payday | First monthly payslip issued and salary transferred; income tax withheld and remitted | Teamed | End of first pay period |
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Issue the offer letter
Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, probation period of up to 3 months, probation notice of 7 days, and any work-permit conditions for foreign nationals.
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Complete the work-authorisation check
Verify the national ID for Iraqi citizens, or confirm a valid work permit for foreign nationals, before the employee starts. Retain a copy of the document. The permit must precede the start date.
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Issue the written employment contract
A signed written contract is required under Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015. Teamed issues its standard Iraq contract on or before day one. Clients set commercial terms. Teamed signs as the legal employer.
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Complete onboarding registration
Register the employee with the social security authority, collect the tax ID, and set up bank details for monthly salary transfer. Social security registration runs across days one to seven.
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Issue the first payslip and remit tax
Run the first monthly payroll at the end of the first pay period. Withhold and remit income tax to the General Commission of Taxes within the deadline. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.
What must an Iraq offer letter include?
The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.
Include role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, location, probation period of up to 3 months, notice during probation of 7 days, and any conditions such as work-permit requirements.
Three traps to avoid in Iraqi offer letters:
- Quoting net salary. Social security contributions change when law changes. Commit to gross figures only. A net-salary promise creates problems as contribution rates shift.
- Starting before the permit is in place. For foreign nationals, an offer letter does not authorise work. The letter may go out, but the start date must not precede the permit issue date. Build a conditional start date into the letter.
- Overstating discretionary benefits. A written commitment to a bonus or benefit that is later withdrawn can give rise to a contractual claim. Mark discretionary items clearly as non-contractual.
Teamed's standard Iraq offer letter template covers all required ground. Clients set commercial terms. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and coordinates permit timing where needed.
Iraq work-authorisation checks
Iraqi nationals may work in Iraq without a permit. Foreign nationals must hold a valid work permit before they start.
The employer must verify work authorisation before the employee's start date. There is no grace period.
Iraqi nationals
For Iraqi citizens, the employer verifies the national identity document (passport or national ID card) and retains a copy. No separate government portal or work-authorisation system applies to Iraqi nationals.
Foreign nationals
Third-country nationals must hold a valid residence and work permit issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The permit authorises a specific role with a specific employer. The employee cannot transfer to a different employer without obtaining a new permit.
The permit application requires the employer to sponsor the worker. Documentation typically includes a signed employment contract, the employer's registration details, and the worker's credentials. Processing times vary by nationality and category. Teamed coordinates the process and tracks renewal deadlines.
Foreign nationals wishing to work in Iraq must obtain a work permit issued through the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Employment without a valid permit is an administrative offence. Employers are responsible for ensuring the permit is in place before the worker starts.
Source: Migration Resource Centre Iraq: Labour migration to Iraq
Ongoing checks
Work permits are time-limited and tied to the employing entity. Teamed tracks each expiry date and triggers a renewal before the permit lapses. A permit expiry without renewal is a compliance breach. Teamed manages the calendar so no renewal is missed.
The Iraq written contract: what must it contain?
Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 requires a written employment contract.
The contract must be signed by both parties. Teamed issues it on or before day one.
What the Iraq written employment contract must include:
- Names and addresses of employer and employee
- Start date and, where applicable, end date for a fixed-term contract
- Job title or description of the work
- Place of work
- Gross salary and the payment interval (monthly is standard)
- Normal working hours (maximum 48 hours per week under Article 67)
- Annual leave entitlement (minimum 21 days per year after the first year of service)
- Probation period, if agreed (maximum 3 months under the law)
- Notice period required by each side after probation
- Reference to the applicable social security scheme
- Sick leave entitlement
- Any applicable collective agreement or sectoral rules
Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 is the principal statute governing employment contracts. Teamed's standard Iraq contract satisfies all current requirements and is reviewed against regulatory updates.
Key source: Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 via ILO NATLEX.
Onboarding admin in the first week
Days 1 to 7: written contract signed, social security registration completed, tax ID collected, bank details collected, and salary setup confirmed.
Teamed handles the compliance side. The client handles the cultural and operational side.
| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Written employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start) |
| National ID or passport copy retained | Teamed | Day 1 |
| Social security registration with the Retirement and Social Security authority | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Tax ID number collected for payroll withholding | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| Bank account details (IBAN) collected for monthly salary transfer | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Benefits or allowances enrolment | Teamed (admin) and Client (decision) | Days 1 to 7 |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |
How does Teamed handle Iraq employment for you?
Teamed becomes your legal employer of record in Iraq for from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX mark-up in any currency.
Work-permit coordination, social security registration, the Labour Law contract, and the full Iraq employment stack run on one platform.
Real HR and legal experts handle your Iraq hires, from the first offer letter through work-permit renewals and every monthly payroll run. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. A contractor who converts to direct employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your Iraq hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Iraq hiring overview. Each guide takes one layer of Iraq employment law.
Key sources: ILO NATLEX: Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015, MRC Iraq: Labour Migration, and Mondaq: Iraq Labour and Employment Guide (Hannouche Associates).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire someone in Iraq through Teamed?
For Iraqi nationals, Teamed can complete the full onboarding sequence in a few business days once the offer is accepted. That covers the work-authorisation check, written contract, and social security registration. For foreign nationals, the critical path is the work permit. Permit processing times vary by nationality and role category. The start date cannot precede the permit issue date. Teamed coordinates the application to minimise delays.
What is the probation period in Iraq and what notice applies?
Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 caps the probation period at 3 months. During probation, either side can end the employment with 7 days notice. After probation ends, the employer notice minimum rises to 30 days for employees with up to five years of service.
What must an Iraq employment contract contain?
The Iraq Labour Law requires a written contract covering the names of both parties, start date, job description, place of work, gross salary, working hours (maximum 48 hours per week), annual leave (minimum 21 days per year after one year of service), probation terms if agreed, notice periods, and reference to the applicable social security scheme. Teamed's standard Iraq contract meets all current requirements.
Does a foreign employee need a work permit before starting in Iraq?
Yes. Foreign nationals must hold a valid work permit issued by the Iraqi authorities before they start work. The permit is tied to a specific employer and role. Employment without a valid permit is an administrative offence for the employer. Teamed manages the permit application and tracks renewal dates to keep the employee's authorisation current.
What is the minimum annual leave entitlement for an Iraq employee?
The minimum paid annual leave under Iraq Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 is 21 days after the employee completes one year of service. Leave accrues on a full-pay basis. Sick leave is separate: employees are entitled to up to 30 days of fully paid sick leave per year.
The work-permit requirement for foreign nationals is where Iraq hiring goes wrong most often. Companies issue an offer, agree a start date, then discover the permit processing runs weeks longer than expected. We run the permit application in parallel with the offer, so the contract is ready to sign the moment the permit clears.
Iraq caps probation at 3 months. That window closes fast.
Foreign nationals need a valid work permit before day one. The start date depends on the permit, not the offer.
Get the authorisation right first and the rest of the onboarding sequence runs cleanly.
