Am I covered if I work at a small business?
Kurdistan Region
Yes, every private-sector worker, whatever the headcount. Government, international-organisation and security staff are excluded. Registration is compulsory; neither side can opt out.
- Kurdistan Law No. 4 of 2012 · Art. 1
- KRG Ministry of Labour explainer, Kar portal, 7 Dec 2024
Federal Iraq
Private, mixed and cooperative sector workers, the self-employed, and non-permanent public staff.
- Retirement and Social Security for Workers Law No. 18 of 2023 · Art. 3/1
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.
تسري أحكام هذا القانون على كافة العُمال والمستخدمين في مؤسسات وشركات القطاع الخاص العاملة داخل الإقليم بغض النظر عن عدد المنتسبين.دەستەبەرکردنى کرێکار ناچارییە و چ کرێکار چ خاوەنکار ناتوانن ئارەزوومەندانە بڕیار لەسەر دەستەبەرییەکە بدەن و دەبێت هەموو کرێکارێک دەستەبەر بکرێتتسري أحكام هذا القانون على العمال في القطاعات المختلط والخاص والتعاوني والعاملين لحسابهم الخاص والمشمولين بأحكام قانون العملThis 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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