Kurdistan cabinet sets 500,000 dinar minimum pension for private-sector retirees

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Regional Government's Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, approved a proposal setting the minimum monthly pension for private-sector retirees at 500,000 Iraqi dinars during its weekly meeting in Erbil. Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani also attended the session. The proposal was presented by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs as part of ongoing pension and social security reforms. The ministry outlined steps including the digitization of social security directorates, the activation of the Social Security Fund, and the regular collection of employer contributions. According to the ministry, the number of businesses enrolled in the social security system has reached approximately 64,000, with around 320,000 workers now covered. The cabinet approved the pension floor unanimously, according to the meeting's communiqué. No further details on the implementation timeline were immediately available.