Raising Awareness on Legal Migration Pathways: An interview with MRC in Erbil

We met with Naz Jalal Saleem, Director of Migration and Crisis Response at the Erbil Governorate and Tharwat Mamand Haji, Head of Administration Department, Migration and Crisis Response and Supervisor of the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Erbil. The purpose was to gain deeper insight on their work within the Kurdistan region of Iraq in order to promote safe migration.

What is your role at MRC in Erbil, and what does a typical day look like for you?

I am the Director of Migration and Crisis Response at the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC). Basically, we coordinate with different entities, so our counsellors from the MRC can arrange seminars and carry out their work. The MRC has full government support, and they are able to work in every place within the territory of Erbil governorate.

A typical day for us is spent arranging seminars to raise awareness on illegal migration, CV preparation sessions for people who request them and answering phone calls from people asking about what support we can offer them. We have two counsellors and a team of volunteers, since two counsellors is not enough to meet the demands.

How do counsellors at MRC in Erbil support intending and outgoing migrants, and what kind of guidance do people usually seek?

At the very beginning, people usually have a misunderstanding about the MRC. They think that the MRC helps them to migrate. But when we explain what we are actually here for — raising awareness about illegal migration and its risks — they start to understand. At the same time, we also explain that if someone really wants to migrate, there are legal pathways they can follow.

Many people ask how they can do that and what options are available. For example, if it’s through studying, they want to know how. Our counsellors provide different guidance for each case. They talk with each person about their qualifications, whether they have completed their bachelor’s degree or not, and what they might need to improve, such as their language skills. 

Our counsellors provide different guidance for each case. They talk with each person about their qualifications, whether they have completed their bachelor’s degree or not, and what they might need to improve, such as their language skills.

One of the first questions people ask is: “Who are you? Are you going to help me leave?” Another common question is: “If I stay, what are my options?” Especially here in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, we are facing an economic crisis. Because of this, it’s very difficult for the government to hire new employees. Many young people are frustrated and angry because they cannot find jobs in the public sector. At the same time, the private sector is not very developed, so job opportunities there are limited as well. Some of them don’t know how to get involved in the private sector, how to search for jobs, or even how to apply properly. Others may have ideas for small businesses but don’t know how to start. These are the kinds of questions and concerns we deal with.

What is one misconception about migration you often try to address?

Many migrants are unfamiliar with the local culture and unprepared for the reality of culture shock. They don’t know whether they will be able to integrate into the community, adapt to the work environment, or cope with the different working hours. The tax system is also very different, and many people don’t fully understand that. People’s perspective on salary is very different, and they often don’t realize how the cost of living changes depending on where you live. People often think, “That money will be enough for me to live well.” But in reality, they will not immediately find a good job when they arrive. They don’t think about the language barrier and all the other challenges they might face.

Which key messages do you try to share to help people understand the dangers of irregular migration?

The first thing we try to share is: don’t let anyone give you false information, and don’t fall for it. If you want to make the right decision about your life, you need the right information from official sources because knowledge is power. For example, if someone tells you they can get you a visa or a scholarship from a university, go directly to the university’s official website and contact the admissions office. You should find opportunities through the official institutions themselves, not through unknown third parties. And never pay commission or money to anyone who promises “100% guaranteed” results.

The first thing we try to share is: don’t let anyone give you false information, and don’t fall for it. If you want to make the right decision about your life, you need the right information from official sources because knowledge is power.

Smugglers and human traffickers may approach people and say, “It’s easy. You’ll just cross this border, spend one day on a boat, and everything will be safe.” But that is not the reality. We ask them to really think about what that journey means. Imagine yourself walking alone in the woods at night, with nothing, no protection, and no one to help you. Even if you imagine being lost somewhere close to home, think about how you would survive: the fear, the hunger and the violence people can face. We also share real examples of people who tried to migrate this way and later returned, and what they went through. 

Imagine yourself walking alone in the woods at night, with nothing, no protection, and no one to help you. Even if you imagine being lost somewhere close to home, think about how you would survive: the fear, the hunger and the violence people can face.

What legal migration pathways are most commonly available for people from Kurdistan Region of Iraq?

A legal migration option is studying. Most people who go this route pursue higher education. From what we’ve seen, most of these people come back. I am one example: I went to the United States, lived there, completed my master’s degree, and returned. I have many friends who did the same. Back when the economy was better in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, there was a program called Raising Human Capacity Building, where the government fully funded scholarships for master’s and PhD programs. I was lucky to be part of that program. Since the scholarship was provided by the government, I came back after finishing my degree. There are different options for legal migration, both for studies and for work. 

The Delmi-project is funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).