Can my employer make me sign a promissory note or a financial guarantee?
Kurdistan Region
No. A promissory note, financial guarantee or forced debt as a condition of hiring or keeping the job is illegal, and must be cancelled.
- KRG Ministry of Labour notice, Kar portal, 31 May 2026
Federal Iraq
No specific rule found; forced work through debt is banned.
- Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 · Art. 9/1
The law
The Kurdistan Region has no labour law of its own, so it still applies Iraqi Labour Law No. 71 of 1987. Federal Iraq has applied the newer Labour Law No. 37 since 2015.
وەرگرتنی کۆمپیالە، کەفالەی دارایی، یان ناچارکردنی کرێکار بە "خۆقەرزارکردن" وەک مەرجێک بۆ دامەزراندن یان بەردەوامبوون لە کاردا، پێچەوانەی یاسایە و بە هەموو شێوەیەک قەدەغەیەيحظر هذا القانون العمل الجبري او الالزامي بكافة اشكاله ، منها :أ – العمل بالرق او المديونيةThis is general information, not legal advice. It is for private-sector workers only, not government employees. It is written from the official texts of the laws named with each answer, checked on Oct 15, 2026. If anything differs, the official text of the law decides. For your own situation, speak to a lawyer or the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
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