Editing Economy of Iraq (section)

== Labor force ==
In 2002, Iraq's labour force was estimated at 6.8 million people.

In 1996, some 66.4 per cent of the labour force worked in services, 17.5 per cent in industry, and 16.1 per cent in agriculture. 2004 estimates of Iraq's unemployment ranged from 30 per cent to 60 per cent.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+'''Nationwide unemployment rate since May, 2003<ref name="campbell">{{cite web |url= http://www.brookings.edu/saban/~/media/Files/Centers/Saban/Iraq%20Index/index.pdf |title= Iraq Index - Tracking Variables of Reconstruction & Security in Post-Saddam Iraq |access-date= 2009-02-22 |last= Campbell |first= Jason H. |author2= Michael E. O'Hanlon |date= 2009-02-12 |work= Report |publisher= [[Brookings Institution]] |archive-date= 25 February 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090225175851/http://www.brookings.edu/saban/~/media/Files/Centers/Saban/Iraq%20Index/index.pdf |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="icg">"Reconstructing Iraq", [[International Crisis Group]], Report, 2 September 2004, p. 16, footnote 157.</ref>'''
|-
! width="250px" | Month
! width="100px" | Unemployment<br />rate
|-
| 2003-2005 May
| N/A
|-
| 2003-2006 June
| 50-60%
|-
| 2003-2007 July
| N/A
|-
| 2003-2008 August
| 50-60%
|-
| 2003-2009 September
| N/A
|-
| 2003-2010 October
| 40-50%
|-
| 2003-2011 November
| N/A
|-
| 2003-2012 December
| 45-55%
|-
| January to May 2004
| 30-45%
|-
| June to November 2004–06
| 30-40%
|-
| 2004-12 December
| 28-40%
|-
| January to October 2005
| 27-40%
|-
| November to December 2005
| 25-40%
|-
| 2006
| 25-40%
|-
| 2007
| 25-40%
|-
| 2008
| 25-40%
|-
| 2009
| 23-38%
|-
| 2010
| 15.2%
|-
| 2011
| 15.2%
|-
| 2012
| 15.3%
|-
| 2013
| 15.1%
|-
| 2014
| 15%
|-
| 2015
| 15.5%
|-
| 2016
| 16%
|}

The CPA has referred to a 25% unemployment rate, the [[Ministry of Planning (Iraq)|Iraqi Ministry of Planning]] mentioned a 30% unemployment rate, whereas the Iraqi Ministry of Social Affairs claims it to be 48%.<ref name="campbell" /> Other sources are claiming a 20% unemployment rate and a probably 60% under-employment rate.<ref name="caffrey">{{cite web |url= http://www.afa.org/EdOp/Iraq_AAR-November-2008.pdf |title= Memorandum for Colonel Michael Meese, Professor and Head Dept of Social Sciences |access-date= 2009-02-22 |last= McCaffrey |first= Barry R. |date= 2008-11-04 |work= Memo |publisher= Air Force Association |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090227175559/http://www.afa.org/EdOp/Iraq_AAR-November-2008.pdf |archive-date= 27 February 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The actual figure is problematic because of high participation in black-market activities and poor security conditions in many populous areas. In central Iraq, security concerns discouraged the hiring of new workers and the resumption of regular work schedules. At the same time, the return of Iraqis from other countries increased the number of job seekers. In late 2004, most legitimate jobs were in the government, the army, the oil industry, and security-related enterprises.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iraq Living Conditions Survey 2004 |url=http://www.iq.undp.org/ILCS/labour.htm |website=UNDP in Iraq |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051104114450/http://www.iq.undp.org/ILCS/labour.htm |archive-date=2005-11-04}}</ref> Under Saddam Hussein's reign, many of the highest-paid workers were employed by the greatly overstaffed government, whose overthrow disrupted the input of these people to the economy. In 2004, the U.S. [[United States Agency for International Development|Agency for International Development]] committed US$1 billion for a worker-training program. In early 2004, the minimum wage was US$72 per month.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}