DHAKA, Oct 30, 2026 (BSS) – The government is taking extensive initiatives to expand and diversify employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in the global labour market, with huge training programmes being rolled out for the youth.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury has said that tapping opportunities in non-traditional international labour markets is one of the key pillars of the government’s global employment strategy. Accordingly, the government is giving the highest priority to sending skilled workers to alternative and emerging international labour markets. It plans to send 10 million skilled workers abroad over the next five years.

According to officials concerned, the key objectives of the master plan include exploring new and more advanced markets, increasing remittance inflows, ensuring safe migration and eliminating unscrupulous recruitment networks, securing decent employment and legal protection, and boosting economic dynamism.

To develop new and better markets, the government aims to expand opportunities beyond traditional destinations in the Middle East and secure a foothold in emerging labour markets in developed countries such as Italy, Germany, Greece, Romania, Japan and South Korea.

Another major objective is to substantially increase the country’s foreign-exchange reserves and remittance inflows by sending skilled workers abroad.

Meanwhile, to ensure safe migration and eliminate unscrupulous recruitment networks, the government is working to curb the activities of intermediaries and brokers by facilitating recruitment through legitimate government channels and modern digital platforms. It also aims to reduce migration costs to the lowest possible level.

The government intends to scrutinise working conditions and legal frameworks in destination countries before sending workers there, with a view to ensuring decent employment and legal protection and enabling expatriate Bangladeshis to work in dignified environments free from exploitation.

At a time when Bangladesh is preparing to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category, strengthening the country’s foreign-income base and injecting greater dynamism into the overall economy are also among the government’s key objectives.

Currently, 104 technical training centres (TTCs) across the country are conducting regular training programmes to implement the master plan.

Young people are being trained in 55 technical courses tailored to global labour-market demands, including information technology (IT), modern driving, nursing, caregiving, electrical and mechanical trades, and hospitality.

Alongside English, specialised language training is being provided in Japanese, Korean, German and Arabic, as proficiency in these languages is an important requirement for employment in various countries.

Initiatives have also been taken to introduce joint certification arrangements and follow international standards in collaboration with reputed institutions in different countries, so that workers’ skills are recognised internationally.

Economic analysts believe that this timely initiative to promote skilled overseas employment in line with changing global demands will help reduce unemployment and open up new opportunities for the country’s economy.

According to the latest Bangladesh Bank statistics, Bangladesh received a total of US$10.72 billion in remittances between July 1 and October 24 of the current 2026–27 fiscal year. This was 11.9 per cent higher than the amount received during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The country received a record US$35.58 billion in remittances in the 2025–26 fiscal year.

To sustain this positive trend and further increase remittance inflows, the government has decided to prioritise sending workers with demand-driven technical skills abroad rather than relying on unskilled labour.

Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment sources said that, following intensive diplomatic efforts, a specific roadmap had recently been announced for reopening Malaysia’s labour market to Bangladeshi workers. Under the new initiative, recruitment will be conducted through 338 approved and registered recruiting agencies.

Moreover, following a special request from the Bangladesh government, the Malaysian authorities have agreed in principle to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers under a zero-cost arrangement. The special pilot programme is being conducted under the supervision of the state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL).

The agreement between Bangladesh and Japan on recruiting workers under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) system also remains in force. Under this arrangement, Bangladeshi workers with recognised Japanese-language proficiency and formal certification in designated technical fields can find employment opportunities in elderly care, information technology, construction, agriculture and hospitality. Legal protection and equal rights are also being ensured for workers under the arrangement.

Initiatives to send skilled workers to European labour markets

Regarding the expansion of labour markets in Europe and Oceania, the ministry said the European Union (EU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) were jointly implementing activities under a framework titled ‘Supporting a Talent Partnership with Bangladesh’.

The project aims to address labour shortages in Europe caused by demographic changes by facilitating the safe, regular and documented migration of skilled Bangladeshi IT professionals, engineers and technical workers.

The state-owned service provider BOESL is one of the principal implementing partners of the international project. According to project progress reports, BOESL and the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) are using an integrated online database to connect skilled professionals whose qualifications meet relevant requirements with European employers.

Meanwhile, a programme funded by the Italian government has been launched in Bangladesh to provide pre-departure orientation, training and language instruction free of charge. The initiative is intended to prepare experienced workers for employment opportunities in Italy, subject to the relevant eligibility criteria and immigration requirements.

Employment opportunities have also emerged for Bangladeshi nurses and caregivers in the United Kingdom’s healthcare and social care sectors under government-approved sponsorship programmes, subject to the country’s immigration and professional requirements.

At the same time, Germany’s ‘Opportunity Card’, known as the Chancenkarte, offers eligible IT professionals, engineers and other qualified applicants an opportunity to travel to the country to seek employment, subject to the applicable requirements.

Romania, Greece, Serbia, Portugal, Croatia and Hungary in Europe are also becoming important destinations for Bangladeshi workers seeking lawful employment in agriculture, logistics, delivery services and hospitality, depending on employer demand and the work-permit rules of each country.

Employment opportunities in Oceania and other regions

In Oceania, demand for Bangladeshi workers is reportedly increasing in Australia and New Zealand for seasonal agricultural work, construction and motor vehicle repair under specific quotas, subject to the relevant visa schemes and eligibility requirements.

Meanwhile, employment opportunities in higher-value technical positions in the garment and manufacturing industries in Russia and across Eurasia are reportedly increasing year by year. The accommodation, construction and tourism sectors in the Maldives and Seychelles also have demand for semi-skilled Bangladeshi workers.

Initiatives to reduce migration costs and protect workers

To address existing challenges in overseas recruitment and ensure workers’ overall safety, the government has introduced a dedicated digital ‘Migrant Card’ system through its overseas employment platform.

Through the platform, expatriate Bangladeshis will be able to access special banking facilities related to remittances, designated insurance coverage and emergency legal assistance abroad, subject to the scheme’s terms and implementation arrangements.

At the same time, the government is enforcing strict legal measures to curb unauthorised intermediaries, control excessive migration costs and prevent risky irregular migration.

Institutional initiatives have also been strengthened to make foreign-language training compulsory in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) curricula, with a view to enhancing Bangladeshi workers’ long-term competitiveness in international labour markets.