- Halabja is a governorate in the Kurdistan Region: it was created by Law No. 7 of 2025 on the Creation of Halabja Governorate in the Republic of Iraq (Iraqi Gazette No. 4824 of 5 May 2025), and Presidential Decree No. 21 of 2025 (Gazette No. 4825) designates it the nineteenth governorate of the Republic of Iraq, with Halabja district as its centre.
- The Kurdistan Region has its own Labour Law No. 71 of 1987, published on the KRG services portal.
- Halabja has a Property Registration Directorate (near Halabja Municipality) under the General Directorate of Property Registration at the KRG Ministry of Justice.
The points below are procedures and authorities as the KRG publishes them on its official portal, last checked 16 October 2026.
1) Labour law and foreign work permits in Halabja
- Applicable law: Labour Law No. 71 of 1987, published on the KRG services portal. We do not summarise its substantive rules here; we check each file against the text in force when we work on it.
- Foreign worker permit: filed with the Labour Directorate in the governorates. The official service page lists Labour Directorates in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Soran, Zakho and Garmiyan, and does not list one named for Halabja, so we confirm the competent directorate before filing.
- Per the service page, recruitment goes through a recruitment company licensed by the Ministries of Labour and Interior, and the documents include the work contract and a clearance from the Social Security Directorate. Time: 10 days. Fees: free, per the service page. The full list of conditions and documents is on our Erbil page.
- For work permits in federal Iraq see Work permits; for federal labour law see Labour law.
2) Company and foreign-branch registration for activity in Halabja
- Online first: through the KRG Business Registration System: trade-name search and registration, then company registration, then the authorised bank, then checking of original documents at the directorate.
- Unified Personal Number (UPN): 13 digits, obtained in person (for foreigners, with passport and residence card), per the portal.
- Beneficial-owner undertaking: two copies with live signatures, filed with the legal department of the Companies Registration Directorate in the Region's governorates; the register is kept at the company's head office.
- Directorate: the General Directorate of Companies Registration page (KRG Ministry of Trade and Industry) lists addresses in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah (Hama Jaza Street) and Duhok, and does not list one named for Halabja. We confirm the competent directorate before filing.
- A lawyer holding a power of attorney may handle the service, per the national company registration page.
- Conditions and timing for a foreign company branch in the Region are on our Sulaymaniyah page; for registration in Baghdad see Company registration.
3) Social security and tax compliance
- The KRG foreign work-permit page lists a social-security clearance among the file documents, and the page on registering property in a company's name asks for a clearance from the competent social security office where the company is covered by the social security law.
- We do not state Region-specific social-security or tax rules here, because we have not verified them from an official KRG text. For federal rules see Social security registration and Tax registration and clearance.
4) Real estate in Halabja
- Authority: the Halabja Property Registration Directorate (near Halabja Municipality), under the General Directorate of Property Registration at the KRG Ministry of Justice.
- Registering a sale, per the service page: both parties aged 18 or over with full capacity; a representative with a legal power of attorney may act. Required: national card, property registration copy, personal photos, and clearances (income tax, property tax, water and sewerage, electricity, municipality). Time: 5–10 days.
- Property registration copy: issued to the owner or an attorney with a legal power of attorney, in 10–15 minutes per the service page.
- More detail, including registering property in a company's name, is in the real estate section of our Erbil page. For federal rules see Real estate & property.
How we work with Halabja clients
We serve clients in Halabja from our Baghdad office: review of contracts and documents before filing, preparation of company, branch and work-permit files, review of property documents before a sale or purchase, and follow-up with the competent authorities. The company has a team of 15 lawyers.
Links: Kurdistan Region · Erbil · Sulaymaniyah · Duhok · Labour law · Company registration · Work permits (federal) · Social security · Tax · Real estate & property
FAQ
How do you serve clients in Halabja?
We serve Halabja clients from our Baghdad office (Al-Yarmouk): document review, file preparation and follow-up with the competent authorities.
Is Halabja a governorate?
Yes. Halabja Governorate was created in the Kurdistan Region by Law No. 7 of 2025, and Presidential Decree No. 21 of 2025 designates it the nineteenth governorate of the Republic of Iraq, with Halabja district as its centre.
Where is a property sale registered in Halabja?
At the Halabja Property Registration Directorate (near Halabja Municipality), under the General Directorate of Property Registration at the KRG Ministry of Justice.
Where does a company active in Halabja register?
Registration starts online through the KRG Business Registration System. The service page lists Companies Directorates in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok, and we confirm the competent directorate before filing.
About the author
Othman Al-Juboori: Iraqi lawyer, expert in Iraqi labour law, Member of the Iraqi Bar Association, and founder and Managing Director of Al-Taswia Legal Services Company. The company has a team of 15 lawyers working from its Baghdad office. Author page
Sources last checked: 16 October 2026.
General information, not legal advice.