BAGHDAD — In Iraq's struggling economy, more young people are trying creative ways to make money. 

Many young Iraqis have traditionally looked to the public sector for work, but the government only passed its 2023 budget on Monday after months of delays, and ministries were reluctant to hire in the interim. Moreover, the dinar has been falling against the US dollar since the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani took office last October. High oil prices provided a boost in 2022, but corruption remains rampant and the war in Ukraine has led to higher food prices. 

Ahmed Al-Amir, who is now a 28-year-old social media star from Baghdad, graduated from the University of Baghdad in 2016 with a degree in economics, but failed to find work in his field.

“There are not enough job opportunities for young people in Iraq, and this is why we see young people go out and protest,” Amir told Al-Monitor. “I tried jobs at banks and private companies. The first question they would ask is whether I have work experience. This questions destroys the youth of Iraq. We are fresh graduates.”