Contractors Compete For High-Paying Employment In Iraq

The US military involvement in Iraq has been well-publicized. Everyone knows that Iraq is a country torn apart by military conflict. Most people do not plan a trip to Iraq at any point in the immediate future. Most people do not know that the prospect of employment in Iraq has generated great interest among a competitive and knowledgeable few.

Learn more about Employment In Iraq

The fact is, after all the fighting, which still goes on to this day, billions upon billions of dollars have been allocated to reconstruction. Reconstruction projects like this are attractive because they need to be undertaken in a short amount of time. Government and private employers are looking for teams of contractors willing to put in long and strenuous hours of work all at once. As a result, the pay is high--much higher than for similar work that one might find in one's home country, where projects are unaffected by the time pressure of war.

Job opportunities in Iraq are lucrative. A contractor can expect to earn $80,000 or more in US money working in Iraq. This does not include food and lodgings, which often come as part of the bargain. What's more, money earned in Iraq can easily circumvent American taxes. According to IRS regulations, a US national who stays and works abroad longer than 330 days no longer needs to pay US income tax on the money that he or she earns.

These lucrative opportunities have spurred on a large crowd of cash-hungry contractors. Halliburton Energy Services, which is a major (and controversial) provider of oil-drilling infrastructure, has a list of candidates for contract jobs in Iraq that reaches the hundreds, perhaps the thousands.

The US government offers some of the riskier employment opportunities in Iraq, which may, for that reason, be easier to come by. The US Department of Defense runs an organization called SOFIA--the Greek word for, "wisdom," which also stands, in English, for "Support Our Friends In Iraq." This organization is looking for willing and bold temporary workers to help enforce peace in Iraq by rebuilding the country's infrastructure.

The organization will hire these workers through the US Army, which will be in charge of deploying the contractors. These workers hired by the Department of Defense will have civilian status. They will help the Coalition Provisional Authority under conditions that the Department of Defense openly describes as, "hazardous." The work will extend for a minimum of one year, although there are opportunities to stay longer.

The great allure of finding work in Iraq is the opportunity to earn vast quantities of cash by willing to put yourself at risk. Many of these jobs are self-selecting: only dedicated individuals with a willingness to have an "adventure" at work will apply. As a result, if you fit these qualifications, you have a higher than normal chance of being hired.

Of course, for some of the better-paying work, "networking" ability is a must. Read trade papers to find which companies are offering contracts, and make friends with the people doing the hiring.