LABOUR MARKET ASSESSMENT District, Dohuk...VT Vocational Training IOM Disclaimer The opinions...

LABOUR MARKET ASSESSMENT

Zakho District, Dohuk Governorate

IOM Iraq – September 2020

This programme is supported by:

List of Acronyms

BEP Business Expansion Package

BSP Business Support Package

CIP Community Implementation Plan

CoC Chamber of Commerce

CoI Chamber of Industries

CRC Community Resource Centre

ESP Employment Support Package

FGD Focus Group Discussion

FT Farming Training

IDP Internally Displaced Person

ISIL Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant

IOM International Organization for Migration

JP Job Placement

LMA Labour Market Assessment

NFI Non-Food Items

MoLSA Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

OJT On-the-Job Training

SME Small and Medium Enterprise

VT Vocational Training

IOM Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries.

IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants.

Contact: For more information on the RRU programme and current activities taking place in Iraq, please contact: iraqpublicinfo@iom.int

Main Office in Baghdad

UNAMI Compound DIWAN 2

International Zone, Baghdad, Iraq.

Tel: +3908 3105 2600 ext. 5857/5928

E-mail: iraqpublicinfo@iom.int

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Acronyms 2

IOM Disclaimer 2

Table of Contents 3

Executive Summary 4

Study Introduction 6

Labour Market Assessment Overview

District Overview

Assessment and Methodology Overview

Findings 8

Attitudes Towards Entrepreneurship and Cash

Types of Jobs Available

Skills Gaps

Recruitment Mechanisms

Supply-side Bottlenecks

Demand-side Bottlenecks

Conclusions 11

IOM IRAQ4

Labour Market Assessment

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIOM conducts livelihood programming in 15 out of 18 governorates in Iraq. As part of the Returns and Recovery Unit programming, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) undertook a labour market assessment (LMA) in Zakho district in Dohuk in December 2019 and January–February 2020. LMAs have been conducted in over 30 locations across Iraq and give insights on the state of the local market in a given area, the hiring preferences of employers and the available skills and aspirations of jobseekers, among others.

STUDY COMPONENTS

LMAs consist of both qualitative and quantitative exercises: Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), multisectoral community workshops and surveys with jobseekers, employers and consumers.

This LMA focused on Zakho District, Dohuk Governorate.

A summary of key findings is included below, followed by recommendations for future interventions.

KEY FINDINGS

• Eighty-three per cent of jobseekers noted a preference for owning their business, suggesting a preference for entrepreneurship in Zakho.

• About half of key informants felt that cash support would cause inter-household and community conflict. However, almost all of the jobseekers surveyed reported that people are comfortable paying for goods and services in cash and 60 per cent of jobseekers reported preferring cash over in-kind assistance. All these findings suggest that cash support could be potentially safely introduced in Zakho by an international organization.

• Multi-stakeholder workshop participants in Diraboon reported that 70 per cent of people are unemployed, mostly women. Livestock breeding was reported as the main activity, in addition to trade (groceries, cooking utensils), services (barbering, cafeteria, hairdressing, restaurants, mechanics, plumbing, tailoring), and manufacturing (blacksmith, handicrafts).

• In Khrab Babke, agriculture was also reported as a source of income. Manufacturing (PVC, blacksmith), services (mechanics, tailoring, baking), and trade with plastic. Women work in confectionery production and tailoring.

• Trade, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction were noted as the main sectors in Zakho. Half of the jobseekers thought jobs in these sectors were not desirable.

• Key informants mentioned mostly agriculture, construction, and ‘small businesses’ as employing most people in Zakho, followed by other less mentioned sectors such as livestock, oil, trade and manufacturing.

• Employers reported that working hours averaged 9.2 hours per day (half reported 9 hours or more per day). Except in one case, no business owner mentioned having written contracts with workers.

• The average salary for a skilled worker is 450 United States dollars (USD) and USD 252 for unskilled workers.

• Women-owned businesses include agriculture, livestock (poultry), grocery shops, tailoring and hairdressing. Women also work as employees in factories in Zakho, and for the government. These are all profitable. One informant mentioned that women mostly do not work.

• Multi-stakeholder workshop participants identified a lack in business management and barbering skills in Diraboon; they also said farmers lacked skills in agriculture (without specifying) and in livestock breeding.

• In Khrab Babke, farmers reportedly lack knowledge in agricultural modern techniques, as well as in livestock breeding and beekeeping. Business management knowledge is also reported as lacking, which precludes expansion.

• Employers mentioned that skills in clothes sales, groceries, mechanics, selling/maintenance of phones and appliances, tailoring, baking, and butchery were missing in Zakho.

• Examining salaries of skilled workers by business in detail, the highest salaries are mostly found in construction in addition to mechanics services, blacksmiths and a bakery. Construction, save for two exceptions, mostly does not figure among the below-average salaries.

• Looking into businesses self-reporting high demand and paying higher salaries (or salaries above the average of all salaries), electricity installation and a PVC factory score high. Employers reporting average demand but still paying higher salaries include many businesses in the construction sector.

IOM IRAQ 5

Labour Market Assessment

Recommendations

SECTORS TO TARGETAgriculture, industry, trade, hospitality (tourism), small businesses in general and technology (programming). Considering the high salaries and good demand in construction, the latter should be also targeted

SECTORS TO AVOID Trade with groceries was reported as oversaturated

ACTIVITIES TO TARGET

Vocational training (VT) in business management and barbering skills (the latter especially in Diraboon). Workshop participants mentioned VT was needed in many trades but did not specify in which ones. Nonetheless, jobseekers and employers reported the following skills as difficult to find: mobile phone repair, butchery, tailoring, baking, mechanics, decoration, PVC, carpentry, retail (different goods) hospitality.

Farming training (FT) in agriculture in general, livestock breeding beekeeping

Business support packages (BSP) and business expansion packages in tailoring, food processing (especially confectionery) and hairdressing for women; PVC work, bakeries, electrical services, plumbing services, cafeteria services, blacksmith, fridge repair, barbering, mechanics, and general trade

On-the-Job training (OJT) was also suggested although workshop participants did not further specify. We can therefore assume similar activities proposed for BSP also refer to OJT. In addition, OJT is recommended for the following businesses as jobseekers /employers reported it was difficult to find qualified workers: retail (clothing, groceries, home appliances, construction material), meat processing, baking, tailoring, carpentry, decoration, PVC work, blacksmith, and restaurants services

ACTIVITIES TO AVOIDHandicrafts and sewing were reported as oversaturated by workshop participants in Diraboon and should be therefore avoided

CASH FOR WORK (CFW)

Consumers do not have any savings and 73% have debts. CFW is therefore recommended. In Khrab Babke ‘developing governmental agricultural fields’, planting trees (to mitigate pollution from oil extractive industries); waste removal, and repair of school desks were suggested. In Diraboon, improvement of government-owned orchards, school desks repair, and waste removal were suggested

UNRESTRICTED CASHCash support is recommended as jobseekers reported preferring cash and people appear to be comfortable paying for things in cash

PROFILES TO TARGET

Female-headed households and graduates (these were also mentioned by workshop participants), unskilled workers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), youth, people with disabilities

NOTES

Trade is important for IDPs, as they were reported to rent many shops in Diraboon and Khrab Babke

While FT may disadvantage IDPs as these do not own land, many IDPs work in agriculture in Zakho. The sector should be therefore targeted

Toolkits, seeds, greenhouses and livestock are all needed in the proposed communities

Table 1. Recommendations

IOM IRAQ6

Labour Market Assessment

STUDY INTRODUCTION

1NCCI,DohukProfile,2015,https://www.ncciraq.org/images/infobygov/NCCI_Dohuk_Governorate_Profile.pdf

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 IOM,DTM,January14,2020.

IOM recognizes that the private sector is an engine for growth; therefore, it strives to create inclusive markets at the individual, community and institutional levels. At the individual level, IOM has prioritized support to micro enterprises, including providing business development services (for example business advisory services) and Business Support Packages (BSPs), including in-kind and cash support, all of which aim to increase income generation at the household level.

For those individuals who need capacity development support or who have specific backgrounds such as agriculture, IOM provides specialized skills development and training through Vocational Training (VT), Farming Training (FT) or On-the-Job Training (OJT), accompanied by employability assistance – inclusive of in-kind items tailored to enhance individual employability. For beneficiaries who already have relevant education or training and need to gain hands-on work experience, IOM’s job placement and job matching initiatives link participants with businesses in growth sectors, and pays their salaries partially or fully for three to six months.

At the community level, through the Enterprise Development Fund (EDF), IOM provides support to slightly larger businesses – small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – to support long-term job creation and the expansion of local production capacities. IOM also targets the infrastructure needed to support markets. For example, in agricultural communities IOM may support irrigation projects. At the institutional level, IOM provides capacity building to national and local authorities, including market assessments that seek to promote institutional change in support of local livelihoods.

LABOUR MARKET ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW

IOM’s LMAs are intended to provide actionable recommendations for the individual livelihood assistance that IOM provides in multiple districts throughout Iraq. This LMA focuses on the district of Zakho in Dohuk, specifically on the sub-districts of Rizgar and Markaz Zakho.

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Zakho is a city located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), at the centre of the eponymous Zakho District, Dohuk Governorate, only a few kilometers from the border with Turkey. The district has a population of 212,000 individuals. However, the estimate, which is reported by different sources, could not be verified. Most of Dohuk’s inhabitants are Muslim

Sunni, but the governorate also hosts a mainly Kurdish Yezidi minority and several Assyrian, Chaldean and Armenian Christian communities.1 While the governorate flourished economically in the past, prosperity failed to decrease unemployment, especially for women.2 The agricultural sector is still below its pre-1980 productivity level and has been hit hard by water shortages in the past decade.3 The wave of internally displaced persons (IDPs) escaping conflict in 2014 has put additional stress on the economy. Displacement in Zakho district remains high with 104,544 IDPs reported as of mid-December 2019.4

Services are reported as being accessible to host communities and IDPs alike and good security was reported in Khrab Babke. In Diraboon, inhabited mainly by IDPs (about 75% of the population), intoxicated youth were reported as ‘annoying’ residents. There were many eviction cases in Diraboon, as Yezidi host communities wanted IDPs from Sinjar to return to their area of origin where the government also intervened. On the other hand, workshop participants explained that IDPs from Sinjar complained about the lack of safety, services and job opportunities, as well as about occupation of houses and lands in Sinjar, all factors that prevent them from returning.

Water is accessible in Khrab Babke and it is drinkable, but some families do not have access to the water network. Water in Diraboon is sourced from wells; water-borne diseases have been diagnosed due to water contamination. More than 40 per cent of IDPs do not have access to water in Diraboon and have to source from another area.

Sewage and sanitation are absent from Khrab Babke. Waste management is somewhat better in Diraboon, though not in IDP areas. Workshop participants in Khrab Babke reported that the school is overcrowded and that there had been tensions among students as some come from other parts of Iraq and ‘should learn to accept each other’. In Diraboon, fewer issues were reported in education but problems with facilities and lack of teaching staff were raised.

Except for private clinics, primary health care is not available in Khrab Babke. While primary health care is accessible in Diraboon, issues were reported with lack of medicines and of maternal health care, in addition to the poor state of facilities, which were built in the 1990s. Transformers are overloaded; public electricity is available 8–9 hours per day, while generators are used to cover for the rest of the day in Khrab Babke. In Diraboon, power is accessible mostly during

IOM IRAQ 7

Labour Market Assessment

the night. Workshop participants reported that while there are generators in Diraboon, the areas with Yezidi and IDP communities do not have them (whereas Christian areas have generators installed).

There are many small shops in Khrab Babke and most people depend on these businesses for earning an income. In Diraboon, the market was described as ‘vivid’ as there are more than 30 shops available, mostly rented to IDPs.

Consumer Spending Snapshot

• Key weekly expenses: The typical consumer in Zakho district reported spending an average of USD 72 per week on food for their household.

• Key monthly expenses: 33 per cent of consumers pay rent (USD 88 per month on average) and 43 per cent reported monthly expenses on temptation goods, such as alcohol and tobacco, averaging USD 94 per month.

ASSESSMENT AND METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW

The LMA process began in late December 2019, after a two-day training on labour market assessment objectives and on data collection tools. Following the training, community-level workshops with youth, women and local residents were organized in December 2019 and January–February 2020, followed by KII, jobseeker, employer and consumer surveys.

Multisectoral Community Workshops

Two multisectoral workshops were conducted in Zakho: in the community of Khrab Babke in the Zakho sub-district (attended by 7 women –3 IDPs and 4 host community members– and 13 men –7 IDPs and 6 host community members) and in Diraboon, in the sub-district of Rizgari (4 women –2 IDPs and 2 host community members– and 16 men –8 IDPs and 8 host community members). After introducing IOM and its programming, staff explained IOM’s plan to work closely with community members in implementing future programmes.

Key Informant Interviews

Ten KIIs were conducted with representatives of the business community in Zakho district from the same communities. KIIs seek to establish trends and observations about the business community, industries currently hiring, ongoing public and private investment, and key emerging sectors capable of generating employment.

Jobseeker Surveys

Jobseeker surveys are designed to identify preferences of unemployed and underemployed workers. In Zakho, 30 jobseekers were identified, mostly from the sub-districts of Rizgari and Markaz Zakho. The survey’s purpose was outlined for each jobseeker survey, and informed consent was obtained from those surveyed.

Employer Surveys

Thirty employer surveys were also conducted in Zakho district, mostly in Markaz Zakho and Rizgari to provide a sample as representative as possible of the local market. Employers were initially provided an advance copy of the handout materials and then were later contacted for follow-up interviews.

Consumer Surveys

The consumer survey was designed to triangulate data related to demand, income and vulnerability. In commercial or industrial districts in Zakho District (Markaz Zakho and Rizgari sub-districts), members of the public were approached and 30 of them were identified as respondents. There were no restrictions on the demographic profiles of participants, but IOM sought diversity to the extent possible.

The table below outlines the types and number of surveys conducted for Zakho district.

TOOLSMALE

RESPONDENTS

FEMALE

RESPONDENTS

TOTAL NO.

OF SURVEYS

CONDUCTED

Multisectoral Workshop

29 11 40

Key Informant Interviews

10 0 10

Jobseeker Surveys

20 10 30

Private Sector Employer Surveys

29 1 30

Consumer Surveys

15 15 30

Table 2. Surveys conducted Zakho District for Labour Market Analysis

IOM IRAQ8

Labour Market Assessment

FINDINGS

ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CASH

Eighty-three per cent of jobseekers noted a preference for owning their business, suggesting a preference for entrepreneurship in Zakho.

About half of the KIIs felt that cash support would cause inter-household and community conflict. However, some thought cash could cause ‘people to spend money on food’ and ‘make them not to work.’ On the other hand, almost all of the jobseekers surveyed reported that people are comfortable paying for goods and services in cash and 60 per cent of jobseekers reported preferring cash over in-kind assistance. All these findings suggest that cash could be potentially safely introduced in Zakho by an international organization.

TYPES OF JOBS AVAILABLE

Multistakeholder workshops in Diraboon reported that 70 per cent of people are unemployed, mostly women. Underemployment is also high, mostly among men. Livestock breeding was reported as the main activity; two hundred farmers were reported in Diraboon. Jobs in Diraboon also include trade (groceries, cooking utensils), services (barbering, cafeteria, hairdressing, restaurants, mechanics, plumbing, tailoring), and manufacturing (blacksmith, handicrafts). In Khrab Babke, agriculture was also reported as a source of income. Manufacturing (PVC, blacksmith), services (mechanics, tailoring, baking), and trade with plastic were reported. Women work in confectionery production and tailoring. Many of the small shops in both Diraboon and Khrab Babke are run mostly by IDPs.

Trade, manufacturing and construction were noted as the main sectors in Zakho. In addition, agriculture was also mentioned, although jobseekers specified that it is carried out outside the community; one respondent explained agricultural activities are mostly performed by IDPs. Half of the jobseekers thought these jobs were not desirable. No particular group was noted to dominate these jobs. While four jobseekers complained about the jobs as being hard and having low pay, they did not specify which job they referred to. Jobseekers also did not highlight any particular jobs currently available they would not like to perform.

Key informants mentioned mostly agriculture, construction, and ‘small businesses’ as employing most people in Zakho, followed by other less mentioned sectors.

One key informant clarified that agriculture is present in Diraboon while construction and small businesses are in Khrab Babke.

SECTORS EMPLOYING MOST PEOPLE

PERCENTAGE OF KEY INFORMANTS

Agriculture 70%

Small business (barber, grocery, blacksmith, etc.)

60%

Construction 40%

Livestock 10%

Oil 10%

Trade 10%

Manufacturing 10%

Table 3. Sector employing most people mentioned by Key informants

Employers reported that working hours averaged 9.2 hours per day (half reported 9 hours and/or above per day). Except in one case, no business owner mentioned having written contracts with workers.

Average wages for skilled and unskilled workers among the businesses surveyed in Zakho ranged from USD 100 to 880 and USD 50 to 440, respectively.

AVERAGE SALARY FOR SKILLED WORKERS

AVERAGE SALARY FOR UNSKILLED WORKERS

USD 450 USD 252

Consumers noted average monthly incomes of USD 211 per month (but one third said they did not earn anything).

Employers reported no preference as to which gender should fill different positions. Women-owned businesses, as reported by KIIs, generally included agriculture, livestock (poultry), groceries, tailoring, hairdressing, and as employees in factories in Zakho (without further specifications). One KII mentioned that women mostly do not work. Seventy per cent noted that women-owned businesses were mostly profitable. Jobseekers noted that women-owned businesses mostly are in the same sectors mentioned earlier, in addition to governmental jobs. These businesses tend to earn USD 203, which is similar to the earnings reported by consumers. However, based on the consumer survey, women mostly did not contribute to household income.

IOM IRAQ 9

Labour Market Assessment

SKILLS GAPS

Multistakeholder workshop participants identified lack of business management knowledge and barbering skills in Diraboon, and reported that farmers lack skills in agriculture (without specifications) and livestock breeding. Oversaturation was reported in sewing and handicrafts.

In Khrab Babke, farmers reportedly lack knowledge in new agricultural methods, breeding livestock and beekeeping (as the area is also famous for honey production). Business management is also reported as lacking, which precludes expansion.

Seventy-three per cent of jobseekers, mentioned sectors that in their opinion had difficulty in finding adequately trained employees: skills in retail of clothing, groceries, mechanics, retail/maintenance of phones and appliances, tailoring, baking, butchery, and other less mentioned skills.

SECTOR

NUMBER OF JOBSEEKERS

MENTIONING THE SECTOR

Trade clothes/shop (one specified sportswear)

9

Car mechanic 7

Grocery trade 7

Trade/maintenance phones, appliances 7

Tailoring 6

Bakery 6

Butchery 5

Hairdressing 4

Carpentry 2

Gym 2

Restaurant 2

Trade with stationery items 2

Car wash 1

Trade construction material 1

Trade cosmetics 1

Coffeeshop attendant 1

Decoration 1

Table 4. Sectors having difficulty in finding skilled workers as

mentioned by jobseekers

Some businesses also mentioned that it was difficult to find qualified employees. The same businesses also tend to provide trainings.

BUSINESS MENTIONING DIFFICULTIES TO FIND SKILLED WORKERS

TRAINING OF APPRENTICES

PVC factory (2) Yes

Carpentry factory Yes

Blacksmith Yes

Mechanic Yes

Hairdresser Yes

Groceries Yes

Butchery 5

Hairdressing 4

Carpentry 2

Gym 2

Restaurant 2

Trade with stationery items 2

Car wash 1

Trade construction material 1

Trade cosmetics 1

Coffeeshop attendant 1

Decoration 1

Table 5. Businesses reporting challenges in identifying skilled workers

and their experience in training of apprentices

Tools and assets most commonly requested by businesses included machinery and equipment related to the respective businesses. Business owners were also asked what they would do were they to receive a cash grant, with one third mentioning hiring new employees (in an open-ended question), and the most common response being acquiring the required tools/machinery and/or expanding their shop/business.

RECRUITMENT MECHANISMS

While jobseekers mostly did not know of a job centre, they suggested job centre services could be offered in the centre of the community, near the mosque, the school, or the soccer field. Most employers reported personal connections as their main hiring mechanisms. Employers were mostly open to hiring through more formal channels, and most specified that it would depend on the type of job, although some reservations were raised, especially among those who thought that hiring through more formal channels is not appropriate in smaller communities. The area is prone to labour migration, with most respondents mentioning that people tend to migrate for economic reasons, especially to Zakho and other areas of KRI.

IOM IRAQ10

Labour Market Assessment

SUPPLY-SIDE BOTTLENECKS

The most common challenge facing employers are debts, lack of capital, poor demand and lack of electricity. More than one third mentioned facing no challenges.

Almost all business owners reported having multiple potential suppliers for their raw materials, and almost all reported being able to respond to an increase in demand. Raw materials are mostly sourced locally.

DEMAND-SIDE BOTTLENECKS

Challenges in dealing with clients mostly included debts and a low purchasing power – mentioned by almost half of the employers surveyed – and issues closely related to low purchasing power, such as clients trying to lower the prices, delayed payments, and similar. The remaining employers reported not having any challenges.

About 50 per cent of employers self-reported that their businesses had an overall average demand for their products. The average salary paid by employers reporting average demand was USD 379 (for both skilled and unskilled workers). Businesses with higher demand pay the lowest salaries, although only four businesses reported as having high demand. One third of businesses reported experiencing poor demand for their products/services.

TYPE OF BUSINESS

HIGH DEMAND POOR DEMAND

Cafeteria Agriculture

Construction electrical installation

Blacksmith

Tire mender and oil changing

Carpentry

Trade - Grocery Roof casting

Cement plastering

Hairdressing

Food processing - Bakery

Average salary: USD 300 Average salary: USD 305

Table 6. Average salaries among businesses with high and

poor demand

Examining salaries of skilled workers by business in detail (Fig. 1), the highest salaries are mostly found in construction, in addition to mechanics, blacksmiths, and a bakery. Construction, save for two exceptions, mostly does not figure among the below-average salaries.

IOM IRAQ 11

Labour Market Assessment

100

Car mechanic

Blacksmith

Construction material

Cement plastering

Cement plastering

Construction - Electricity installation

Construction - Plastering

Blacksmith

Blacksmith

Bakery

Casting roof

Construction

Plastic factory

AVERAGE ALL

Restaurant

Trade groceries

Manufacturing

PVC factory

Carpentry factory

Casting roof

Agriculture

Agriculture

Cafeteria

Manufacturing - Gas factory

Manufacturing - Aluminum factory and trade construction tools

Tire mender and changing oil

Trade construction tools

Agriculture

Trade groceries

Hairdressing

Bakery

0 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

Figure 1. Average Salary Skilled Workers (USD)

An attractiveness matrix can be applied to measure and contrast the varying measures of demand as reported by local – and to compare them to the salaries these businesses reported paying their skilled workers – to get a better understanding of what types of jobs could be sustainable and be decently remunerated. Looking into businesses reporting high demand

and paying higher salaries (or salaries above the average of all salaries), electricity installation and a PVC factory score high. Employers reporting average demand but still paying higher salaries include many businesses in the construction sector. Trade with construction tools (2) appears to pay considerably lower salaries than other types of businesses in construction.

IOM IRAQ12

Labour Market Assessment

POT

ENT

IAL

FOR

IM

PAC

T

Poor Demand Average Demand High Demand

Higher Salaries

Agriculture

Blacksmith

Casting roofs

Cement plastering

Bakery

Blacksmith

Car mechanic

Construction (3) – in general, roof casting, plastering

Construction - electricity installation

PVC factory

Lower Salaries

Agriculture

Hairdressing

Food processing – Bakery

Carpentry

Agriculture

Construction – roof casting

Trade with groceries

Manufacturing (3) – Aluminum and trade with construction tools,

in general, PVC

Trade with construction tools

Gas factory

Restaurant

Tire mender

Trade – Groceries

Cafeteria

POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH

Table 7. Cross-tabulation demand and salaries paid to skilled workers

IOM IRAQ 13

Labour Market Assessment

CONCLUSIONSIn Zakho, the EDF has potential for expanding many small and medium-sized businesses, which could also absorb different population segments requiring livelihood assistance, especially IDPs (Zakho has the highest IDP population in Iraq) into the workforce. While agriculture may favor landowners and therefore host community members, based on the high number of IDPs working in agriculture, the sector should be still targeted.

OJTs and VTs were suggested for a variety of sectors including FT, as farmers were reported to be experiencing shortages in skills. Most jobseekers also mentioned a preference to own their business, therefore exploring BSP for those wishing to engage in tailoring, food processing (especially confectionery), and hairdressing for women, as well as PVC work, baking, electrical services, plumbing services, fridge repair, cafeteria services, barbering services, mechanics services, blacksmith, and general trade, is recommended.

Because there are no written contracts between employers and employees, and workers do long hours, IOM has an opportunity to improve the formality of work through the EDF. Since people do not have savings, CFW targeting community priorities such as waste removal, agricultural soil improvement, and repairing school equipment, would greatly benefit the surveyed communities.

Written and designed by:The International Organization for Migration — Iraq Mission

© IOM Iraq 2020

IOM-IRAQ MISSION

V`

LABOUR MARKET ASSESSMENT

IOM IRAQ

www.iraq.iom.int

iraqpublicinfo@iom.int

International Organization for Migration The UN Migration Agency - Iraq Mission Main Office in Baghdad UNAMI Compound (Diwan 2) International Zone, Baghdad, Iraq