Govt plans Tk834cr project to train 50,000 caregivers for overseas jobs

The government plans to train 50,100 young men and women as skilled caregivers for labour markets in Japan, South Korea, the Middle East and Europe under a Tk834.45 crore project proposal submitted to the Planning Commission. The project will run from this year to September 2031.

The training will include specialised courses for 1,950 candidates seeking overseas employment, including Japanese language instruction, while other trainees will be offered language training based on their preferred destinations.

Titled "Creating Employment for Educated Youth through Caregiving and Language Skills in All Metropolitan Cities", the project will be implemented by the Department of Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

It aims to turn unemployed youth, particularly women, into skilled workers and create domestic and overseas jobs, with at least 60% of trainees targeted for employment. It is also expected to improve care for sick, elderly and disabled people.

Priyasindhu Talukder, director (training) at the Department of Youth Development, said caregiving was not previously among its traditional trades because demand was limited, but needs at home and abroad are now rising rapidly.

Initially, the department plans a three-month course covering basic patient care, medication management, monitoring and daily assistance. Talukder said sincerity, courage and a willingness to serve patients were essential, while anyone with at least SSC qualification could enrol.

Those seeking overseas jobs will receive separate language training, while the department will seek direct links with foreign markets.

Growing care economy

The International Labour Organisation estimates Bangladesh could generate around 7 million care-service jobs by 2035, against more than 300 million globally.

Demand for skilled caregivers is also rising 5-7% annually in Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, Canada, Australia and Europe, according to a 2024 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.

Caregivers mainly provide general health assistance, personal care, food preparation, transport, psychosocial support, and care for people with special needs. 

About 95% of their work involves general care and support, and only 5% direct medical assistance, making short-term training a potential way to quickly expand the healthcare support workforce.

The domestic market is also growing as more couples work full-time, nuclear families replace extended households and the elderly population rises. Hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, nursing homes, old-age homes and home-based services face shortages of trained caregivers.

PubMed research cited in the proposal found 63% of old-age home residents cited family problems as a reason for institutional care, while 67% said nobody was available at home to care for them.

Globally, one in six people is projected to be over 60 by 2030. The caregiving market, worth about $256 billion in 2026, could exceed $450 billion by 2031.

Urban youth unemployment

The proposal says rising unemployment among educated youth and women in metropolitan areas has increased demand for skills-based employment. The Labour Force Survey 2023 found urban youth unemployment above the national average, while many highly educated youths work in informal, low-paid jobs because of skills gaps.

Latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data put highly educated unemployment at more than 900,000, while total unemployment stands at 2.6-2.7 million. Government task force data show nearly 28% of every 100 unemployed people are highly educated.

The proposal also identifies job-seeking youth, rural migrants and vulnerable women as groups being left behind by inadequate training. The Department of Youth Development says short, practical courses such as caregiving can create faster employment opportunities.

Demographers warn Bangladesh's demographic dividend will begin declining between 2033 and 2040. Failure to turn its youth into skilled workers before then could cost the country a major economic opportunity.

Training structure

Applicants aged 18-35 with at least SSC qualifications will apply online and be selected through tests based on question banks. Separate committees will oversee selection at metropolitan and city corporation levels.

Contracted institutions will appoint trainers, while officials from the Department of Youth Development and relevant ministries will conduct guest sessions. Centres will receive necessary equipment and materials and be inspected by local officials.

Across 501 wards in 13 metropolitan cities, 50,100 people will be trained through 2,004 batches at 33 centres, with 25 trainees per batch. Each batch will receive mentoring and working sessions, plus free online mentoring.

Outsourcing firms and relevant government agencies will conduct regular monitoring, while a committee will carry out the project's final evaluation.