Iraq

Kurdistan Region foreign-worker permit and residence. A sponsor in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region can hire a foreign worker after local recruitment, labour approval, visa and residence procedures.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Kurdistan Region foreign-worker permit and residence

Permission for the approved job and Kurdistan Region residence card when labour, entry and residence approvals are complete.

Who qualifies

A licensed labour recruitment company must document the job contract, local vacancy advertisement and lack of suitable local workers, then obtain the Labour Directorate’s foreign-worker approval.
Kurdistan Regional Government: foreign-worker authorization
The residency and visa company submits the foreigner’s passport, labour Form 20 or ministry letter, employment contract and residence-card application before the entry visa expires.
Kurdistan Regional Government: residence card through visa and residency company

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Does it fit your family?

One question, from the program’s own rules.

Do you have a binding job offer in that country?

Not legal advice.

What it takes.

Time: The issuing authority decides the application after the complete sponsored file and prerequisite approvals are lodged.
Cost: Government charges are assessed under the issuing authority’s schedule; sponsor, translation and document costs are separate.
The hard part: Licensed recruitment sponsorship, local labour check and coordinated labour and residence filings.

Citizens by 2038.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

2027
First residence permit
1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.
2037
Apply for citizenship
2038
Citizenship

Time away: Ten consecutive years of legal residence immediately before applying, reduced to five for a foreign spouse of an Iraqi citizen.
Two passports: Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Legal residence in the Kurdistan Region counts within Iraq’s ten consecutive years when maintained without a break.
How long the decision takes isn’t published; we allow a year.

The law behind these dates

Iraq Official Gazette — Instructions implementing the Nationality Law

Living there.

Time you must spend there: The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax: Where you become tax resident follows the days you spend there and where your home is. We map it for your family before you move.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

Start today.

Have a licensed Kurdistan Region recruitment company start the labour approval and local vacancy process.Open service.gov.krd ↗
Gather these documents.
- The signed job offer, salary, and recognized qualifications
- Health cover for the move

Postern can’t run this for you yet.

Tell us the number of applicants in your household before this application can be offered.

Options open to you today →

ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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