Foreign workers flock to Kurdistan citing safety
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdistan Regional Government received high numbers of applications in 2016 for residency in the region, which has served as a safe haven from ISIS.
“I have been doing business here for nearly five years,” Mohammed, a Kurd from western Kurdistan said. “I never faced a problem in these five years regarding the renewal of my residency permit.”
Because of the relatively few ISIS attacks in the Kurdistan Region compared to the rest of Iraq, foreigners see it as a safe place to conduct work. Additionally, obtaining residency for many foreigners is easier than in other countries.
According to KRG statistics, Erbil received 111,739 applications for residency over the past year. Dohuk processed 161,236, while Sulaimani reported 12,519.
The fee for a residency permit is 1.2 million Iraqi dinars (about $1,000).