Is it dangerous work in Erbil for expat female?

i can say ..yes it is safe , there is some security groups taking care for hotels ,offices and there are some soldiers in the street for general security, but i dont feel any disturbance they are kind enough.

if you dont wanna test " when something gonna happen , where and  how " unless you dont walk in dark alone in quite places nothing gonna happen.

i have worked in Libya 2 years and the life was much more difficult for a woman rather than Erbil.

regards
win.

Thank you winafrica for reply,I worked in Libya too with pre-opening team Radisson Hotel and like time i spent in Libya.But its was before war.I hope i will like Erbil.

hello,
i get an offer to transfer to iraq. The problem is how much should i earn to have a decent living?my company is paying me $3000 usd..
im working in Oil&gas industry and will be coming with my wife.

Is it safe in iraq these days?

Tq for the advice!

Dear  friend,

Erbil is really safe dont worry , i have worked
In Tripoli 1 years too , you will feel much more
comfortable than Libya, but for the future i am politician
I dont know if central iraq government creates problem
with this guys or not .
At the moment security wise i can say ... " Yes it is safe.."

All the best..
Win.

Ohh sorry for the typo... i m not politician.
:-)

thank you winafrica for the reply..
bytheway with the salary i'll be getting, will it be enough for me to spent?
there will be an allowance of usd500 so total pay is usd3500.
will it be wise to accept?i'm in the midst of negotiation and if it's not worth, i will try to ask them to pay me higher.
sorry for asking too much

Hello everyone!

I am also considering becoming an expat after a job offer I received as a food engineer in Erbil. But being a female and a Turk, I have some questions in my head.

Do women have to go in hijab or cover their heads some way or another? Is it possible to have a network there, I mean is it easy to make friends? How about the way they treat foreigners in general....? So many questions to ask....

I 'd be really happy if you have any idea about those specific questions and answer. Thank you in advance!

Luke Sani wrote:

thank you winafrica for the reply..
bytheway with the salary i'll be getting, will it be enough for me to spent?
there will be an allowance of usd500 so total pay is usd3500.
will it be wise to accept?i'm in the midst of negotiation and if it's not worth, i will try to ask them to pay me higher.
sorry for asking too much

Dear Friend,
After your standard expenses paid by the company ( rental house, transport, etc.)
Than you may live with it, but if you have chance to get more sure go for it .

volvox wrote:

Hello everyone!

I am also considering becoming an expat after a job offer I received as a food engineer in Erbil. But being a female and a Turk, I have some questions in my head.

Do women have to go in hijab or cover their heads some way or another? Is it possible to have a network there, I mean is it easy to make friends? How about the way they treat foreigners in general....? So many questions to ask....

I 'd be really happy if you have any idea about those specific questions and answer. Thank you in advance!

Dear Volvox you dont have to wear hijab no worries , you will feel yourself
Safe and comfortable .Bye
Win

winafrica wrote:

Dear Volvox you dont have to wear hijab no worries , you will feel yourself
Safe and comfortable .Bye
Win

Thank you! Bye

no worries dear... Erbil is safe place also people here are very kind...

volvox wrote:

Hello everyone!

I am also considering becoming an expat after a job offer I received as a food engineer in Erbil. But being a female and a Turk, I have some questions in my head.

Do women have to go in hijab or cover their heads some way or another? Is it possible to have a network there, I mean is it easy to make friends? How about the way they treat foreigners in general....? So many questions to ask....

I 'd be really happy if you have any idea about those specific questions and answer. Thank you in advance!

you dont have to wear hijab at all... its Erbil NOT Tehran !
Yes you ll make friends, people here are liberal they are so kind&helpful with foreigners...

hi everybody
I come to Erbil 20 days before.the rent of the houses is so expensive.I already rented for 800 usd.It is terrible.

hi zuhtu , u r right.
i will help when i be in erbil soon

dear zuhtu,It is not difficult to find a place cheaper , but it is depend on how a comfortable place you want

hello guys, do you know why it is so expensive to rent a house ?? thanks

it depends on the place but $ 800 is super expansive !
in ankawa about $ 600 !

you guys  msut be earnign goood salarys   to  pya such high rents,..but then again  i guess its a supply and demand  and few house there,.chees mike

Dear Zalikha, if you ask why it is expensive, simply we could answer because of demand
Many companies, Arabic families those who come from Baghdad to live in Erbil and more, that is why there is a big demand on the house for rent !!!

Hi,
this is Nicola. Erbil is very safe. I know many women living there, western ones I mean. No problems at all. Also Sulaymanyah is a safe and very nice place.
I'm living in Sulaymanyah with my wife and she and her friends use to go around without problems.
Bye,
Nicola

Dear Olena
Regarding Erbil, I'm Kurdish in Erbil and working with the international organization as IT Manger too, Erbil is very safe area if you compare with other parts don't worry about that, regarding Hijab people here are mix some wear Hijab and the rest normal, food it depends on place to buy you can buy in Malls or free Market or in bazar it is almost cheaper which is downtown, house rent also it depends on the location we have cheap house for rent  and expensive it depends on the neighborhood name, so don't worry and  if you have any question fell free to ask we can help you.
For more info visit these websites
tourismkurdistan.com
tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g659505-Arbil_Arbil_Province-Vacations.html
panoramio.com/photo/55904440?tag=Erbil Governorate
pbase.com/bmcmorrow/erbilcity
erbillifestyle.com

does anyone knows how to find a position in Erbil?

THE BIG QUESTION BETWEEN THE LINES IN ALL OF IRAQ IS LONG TERM SECURITY,..what the police situtaion like in north iraq,.have u got civilian police,.,.cheers mike

Dear Hamideh,

You can find jobs by some carrer/job portal or website.
I have one proposal now to work in erbil which is under negotiation.

As a women from Europe myself I can say that Erbil is very safe when it comes to working in the city.

When you go to local places however you might wear something that covers your body, but since you have worked in Muslim countries before I guess you already know that

Hii

Yes its very safe as Dubai or other GCC countries.

Thanks, Mustafa

Hello, Is it Safe to work in Erbil? I am male a Filipino recently working in Doha Qatar and got a job offer to work in Erbil Iraq are there many Filipinos working in this city also?

Hi gbzaldy,

Members on this thread already posted replies concerning safety in Erbil.

I suggest you to read this topic to get more information.

Regards,

David.

I got a opening in erbil planning to move with family I am from English, pls some one advice about safety and school for children,

have been in erbil for a year now , never seen sign of any trouble at all , perfectly safe , very friendly people , also there is nightlife should you want it , limited on shopping but other than that excellent place to be

I am an expat woman who is entering my 4th year of working in Erbil.
The main difference for me between working elsewehere and in Erbil is my lack of freedom in Erbil. I must be concerned about everywhere I go and how my employer views it. I also need to go with other women or with a male colleague as women here do not routinely go alone around the city. They may walk to the local markets where they live but you never see them walking along the road unless it is a beggar woman.

I am not an attractive woman but yet I have been harassed a bit mostly by stares, gestures with the mouth, and propositions. It does not help that foreign women are shown in American movies as always being ready for sex.

Most of the men here are respectful and want nothing to do with a woman who is not part of their own family. Local women only associate with men who are part of their family. Local women do not ride in random taxis but use the same driver again and again.

That said I have not been the victim of any crimes. The streets seem mostly safe. I have seen pick pockets at work in the main bazaar.

I do not go out alone. I rarely go out after dark unless I am with a group. This seems to make my experiences here more pleasant and hassle free.

Overall if you dress well and cover your body, don't make eye contact with men you do not know, and avoid smiling at local men (which is actually considered flirting here anytime a foreign woman smiles at a local man) you will be ok. No head covering is needed. Clothing can be kind of tight as long as all body parts are covered.

Sexual harassment is on the rise in Erbil both among local women and expat women. There are increasingly frequent reports of kidnappings, rape-date drugs being used in bars, and being followed even for short distances & being catcalled is becoming a daily event for many women.

Sorry, but it needs to be said.

Hi, I am a mother of 2 young girls 3 and 1 looking at moving to Erbil with my husband who has been offered work. We all have white blonde hair. I'm worried about  the safety of our family, when carrying out regular daily activities such as shopping, going to school or the doctor. It's likely we will live in a gated community,  Would we have a driver (is that what people do?) How will I carry out these activities without a male escort? Would you recommend your sister / wife to live in Ebril with their young family? Many thanks

Try to find a taxi driver (if your husbandŽs employer is not supplying you with a driver) that you like & trust. There are some good (safe) drivers out there although theyŽre in the minority. Ask around when youŽre here. When youŽre shopping, expect to be stared at and have locals take your picture (usually without your permission). Be vigilant and donŽt be afraid to say no when someone does something (touching your childŽs hair for example or taking your photo) that youŽre uncomfortable with.

Hmm some observations I have made concerning the way children are treated here:

Kurdish and Turkman people are very affectionate with all children their own and other children too. They show their affection by touching children's hair and faces with their hands. It might be good to prepare your children for this. The proper response from a child is for the child to smile.

Many families are large and extended here so even males have had significant experience around young children. Waiters at restaurants may even play with your children!

Teachers are expected to kiss their students and students are encourage to kiss their teachers. This really shocked me!

Additionally I find locals offer sweets to children. You may wish to teach your children to accept the sweet but to "save it for later". Then you can dispose of it when the giver is not around and no one is offended.

This trick with sweets also works well when coworkers, announcing marriage, come around with the baklava. A local person told me about it. You can't refuse without offense but to take a piece for later, confessing you just ate, works ok.

This culture adores children and permissive parenting is the norm until the children reach teenage years. Children are present at almost all social events which surprised me a lot.

There are local blonde people, though not too many. The key is how you dress. Adult and teenage women need to cover their arms and legs. You can wear normal clothing, just think be covered. If you want to wear a short skirt, put leggins on under it. If you cover yourself with long sleeves and long pants you will not attract too much attention. Shirts should go to the collarbone too. No low cut or vcut without layering.

By the way even gated communities here have poor security so do not think that will be some sort of a protection from the outside world.

It really is safe here. The political situation around us is not great but in Erbil it is fine. Just keep a low profile and women should go places in groups or with their children along with them.
Local women are only out after dark if their husbands or lots of other women are with them.

................

Hi  deepikadobhal84,

Can you please give us more details about the job you are looking for? This might help.

Thank you,

David.