Around 20% of aspiring migrants failed skill verification test introduced by Saudi Arabia in 2023

At least 20% of aspiring Bangladeshi migrants have failed to pass Saudi Arabia's mandatory Skill Verification Program (SVP) test—commonly known as Taqamul—according to estimates by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

A press release from the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, issued today (15 October), mentioned, BMET, under the Taqamul project, has trained 50,000 aspiring migrants since mid-2023; 40,000 cleared the SVP test and 10,000 failed.

The Taqamul project is meant to provide international standard training to outbound workers in the areas of technical and vocational skills, language skills, occupational safety and etiquette, as well as pre-departure orientation. 

The ministry has plans to train 1,00,000 people in the next phase of the project to be implemented in the coming years. Plans include setting up of e-learning centers to facilitate online training so that youths from remote parts of the country can avail this opportunity.

According to the ministry, the project has significantly expanded overseas employment opportunities, improved earnings for workers, enhanced remittance flow, and strengthened Bangladesh's position in the international labor market.

Saudi Arabia originally introduced the Skill Verification Program in mid-2023 to hire trained plumbers, electricians, welders, refrigeration/air conditioning technicians, and automobile electricians.

Over the last two years, the program has expanded to 73 trades and included low-skilled trades like cleaning and loading. While there is a huge demand for cleaners and loaders in Saudi Arabia, the inclusion of these job categories under the SVP has made it hard for the low-skilled workers to pass the test, sector insiders point out.

Unofficial estimate puts the number of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia somewhere around 3.2 million.