Do I get breaks during the day?
Kurdistan Region
Breaks of 30 to 60 minutes in total, and no more than 5 hours straight.
- Labour Law No. 71 of 1987 · Art. 58/1
Federal Iraq
The same, plus at least 11 hours' rest between two working days.
- Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 · Art. 68/1, 68/2
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.
يجب ان تتخلل ساعات العمل فترة او اكثر لتناول الطعام والراحة لا يقل مجموعها عن نصف ساعة ولا تزيد على الساعة, ويحدد صاحب العمل مواعيدها, على ان لا تزيد ساعات العمل المتصلة على خمسة ساعات.يجب ان تتخلل ساعات العمل فترة راحة او اكثر لا يقل مجموعها عن نصف ساعة و لا تزيد على ساعةيمنح كل عامل فترة راحة لا تقل عن (١١) احدى عشرة ساعة متواصلة بين كل يومي عملThis 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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