Free checklistBangladesh to Iraq: pre-departure checklist
If you want to go to Iraq for work the legal way, check this list before you pay anyone.
The most important rule
Do not pay any large amount before independently verifying the job, employer, visa and payment terms. An agency licence alone does not prove its Iraq job offer is genuine.
Current alert
In April 2025 Iraq announced a temporary ban, with no end date, on workers from Bangladesh and several other countries entering for work; no lifting had been reported as of February 2026. About 35,000 foreign workers were deported in 2025, and deported workers are barred from re-entry for 2 years. An MoU was signed in October 2025, but verify the current status with BMET and the Baghdad embassy before going anywhere in Iraq, including Kurdistan.
Analysis at a glance
Risk: High — frequent fraud reports- Region
- Middle East
- Permit / visa
- Work visa and Ministry of Labour work permit (in the Kurdistan Region the regional Labour Ministry's approval is also needed)
- How hiring works
- Employer gets Ministry of Labour approval → work visa → verification by the Bangladesh Embassy in Baghdad → BMET clearance
- Where you apply
- The employer obtains the visa in Iraq; verify the demand letter with the Bangladesh Embassy in Baghdad
- Typical total cost
- ৳3–6 lakh (approx.)
- Typical salary
- USD 300–500/month (approximate). Iraq's minimum wage is IQD 350,000/month (about USD 240–270); IQD 450,000 in Kurdistan
- Timeline
- 3–6 months
- Language
- Arabic (Kurdish in Kurdistan) helps
- Common sectors
- Cleaning and municipal work · Construction · Hospitality
Cost and salary are editorial estimates — they vary by offer, sector and time. This is not a job, visa or salary guarantee.
1. Before paying the broker
Your verification list0/27
Your ticks are saved only in this browser.
2. Verify on official websites
Bangladesh
- BMETLicensed recruiting agencies, RL number, status and expiry; emigration clearancebmet.gov.bd
- Ami ProbashiWorker registration, BMET clearance and smart card onlinewww.amiprobashi.com
- প্রবাসী কল্যাণ ও বৈদেশিক কর্মসংস্থান মন্ত্রণালয়Government-fixed migration costs, notices and complaintsprobashi.gov.bd
- BOESLState recruiting agency — G2G notices (e.g. Korea EPS, Japan)boesl.gov.bd
Remember: a screenshot of an online application or a PDF shown by the agency is not final proof of approval. Verify through the official portal or the relevant authority.
3. Stop paying if you see these signs
Warning signs
- “100% visa guarantee” or “there are never any rejections”.
- Keeping the employer's name secret.
- Pressure to pay quickly without time to verify.
- Talking only on WhatsApp with no written contract.
- Asking you to start working on a visit/tourist visa.
- Repeatedly asking for more money without proof of approval or refund.
- “Go on a visit visa, it will become a work visa later” — many who did this were detained and deported.
- Offers to take you overland through Iran — illegal and potentially deadly.
4. A message you can send the broker
Copy into WhatsApp or SMS
Before starting the Iraq work permit process, I would like to confirm a few things: 1. What is the Iraq employer's company name, address and registration number? 2. Can I verify the job offer and the signed contract? 3. Through which process will the Work visa and Ministry of Labour work permit (in the Kurdistan Region the regional Labour Ministry's approval is also needed) be applied for? 4. Will you give me the official application number or online proof I can verify? 5. What is the total cost, the step-by-step payment, and the refund terms if the visa fails? 6. Can you give references of workers from Bangladesh who went to Iraq successfully through you? I will decide on payment only after verifying all information and the contract.
Our advice
Before paying any agency, collect its name, RL licence number, the Iraq company name and the total package price. With these you can check the risks one by one — or send them to us and we will review them with you.
Contact us to review an agency