Shafaq News- Baghdad

Graduates of Iraqi oil institutes protested outside the Oil Ministry in Baghdad on Monday, demanding to be hired under the 2027 federal budget, a Shafaq News correspondent reported.

Security forces deployed heavily around the ministry during the protest, while demonstrators held banners calling for graduates to be included in the upcoming budget.

Graduates in oil-related fields across Iraq have staged repeated protests demanding jobs that match their qualifications, arguing that the sector needs specialized staff. On Oct. 19, graduates of oil colleges and institutes protested outside the North Oil Company headquarters in Kirkuk's Arafa district, after similar demonstrations there on Sept. 22 and Oct. 8.

In September, Oil Minister Bassim Mohammed Khudair asked the Cabinet to create posts for 2023–2025 graduates. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi then directed the Finance Ministry to include permanent and contract positions for waiting graduates in the draft federal budget, depending on staffing needs.

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