The Kurdistan Region is preparing to launch a new labor-force survey aimed at updating official unemployment figures and providing a clearer picture of the region’s economic conditions. The field study will begin next month in cooperation with the Kurdistan Region Statistics Board and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Sirwan Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Planning in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), said preparations for the survey are now in their final stages. He explained that, if no unexpected delays occur, data collection will officially start at the end of next month.
The survey will focus on households across the Kurdistan Region. Research teams will visit families directly and ask individuals about their employment status, job activity, and labor participation. Officials said this method will allow them to gather accurate and representative data from different demographic groups.
Mohammed noted that the study will not include direct visits to companies, factories, or commercial businesses. Instead, the project will concentrate on individual employment conditions within households.
Although the fieldwork itself will last one month, authorities expect the full process to take longer because data analysis and verification require additional time. Officials aim to publish the updated unemployment figures before the end of the year.
The last large-scale labor survey in the Kurdistan Region was conducted in 2021. Since then, economic conditions have changed significantly, increasing the need for updated labor-market information. Regional authorities want to avoid relying on outdated estimates and instead produce verified figures based on international standards.
According to previous data collected across Iraq, unemployment in the Kurdistan Region stood at 14.97% in 2024. The new study will assess how those figures have changed, with particular attention to youth unemployment and job creation trends.
Officials say the survey will help guide future economic planning. Updated employment data will support government decisions on labor reforms, vocational training programs, and investment priorities. It will also provide international institutions and investors with reliable information about the Kurdistan Region’s labor market and economic stability.
