The Erbil job fair 2013 will be held on Monday Nov. 25 at the Kurdish capital Rotana Hotel. The networking event is a unique opportunity for employers, recruiters and schools to meet prospective job seekers.

The job fair is partially sponsored by the US Agency for International Development and Iraq Opportunities, and organized by Erbil Manpower Company, a Kurdish company that aims to serve businesses in Iraq and Kurdistan through recruitment, payroll, real-estate, event management and legal services.

The Iraq Opportunities Program is a two-year program intended to improve economic opportunities for Iraqis. They pay particular emphasis to youth, women and internally displaced people, among other vulnerable parts of the population.

According to the CIA World Fact book, Iraq has an unemployment rate of 16%, while in 2008 25 percent of the population lived below poverty line. Its economy is largely dominated by the oil sector, which provides more than 90 percent of government revenue and 80 percent of foreign exchange earnings.