Iraq deports more than 47,000 foreigners for residency violations, ministry says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has deported more than 47,000 foreign nationals for violating the country's residency law since the beginning of 2025, the Interior Ministry said, as authorities grapple with sustained inflows of migrant workers despite chronic power shortages and industrial slowdowns. Many of those deported entered on tourist or religious visas and remained after their permits expired, while others crossed borders illegally, in some cases concealed inside vehicle compartments, according to ministry figures. Officials said they were tightening entry procedures by introducing barcode registration and biometric verification at border points to curb forged documents. The government has also imposed an 80-to-20 workforce ratio on investment projects, requiring companies to hire Iraqi nationals for 80 percent of positions while reserving 20 percent for foreign workers. The Labor Ministry estimates that roughly 47,000 foreign workers are legally employed in Iraq, though authorities believe more than one million are working without authorization, mostly from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Syria, Egypt and Afghanistan. Many of the migrants are concentrated in the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala, where they often pose as religious pilgrims to extend their stay, according to the ministry. No further details on enforcement operations or upcoming measures were immediately available.