Saudi Arabia keen on hiring more skilled workers from Bangladesh

Saudi Arabia has expressed keen interest in recruiting more skilled workers from Bangladesh during a ministerial level meeting yesterday (31 March).

The issue was highlighted during a bilateral meeting between Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Saudi Vice Minister for Human Resources and Social Development Tariq bin Abdul Aziz on the sidelines of the International Labour Organization (ILO) 356th Governing Body session in Geneva.

During the meeting, the Saudi vice minister reaffirmed his country's commitment to hiring more skilled workers from Bangladesh, acknowledging the significant contributions of Bangladeshi expatriates to Saudi Arabia's economy and development, read a press release. 

Minister Ariful Haque urged Saudi authorities to increase manpower recruitment from Bangladesh and called for formal recognition of skills acquired domestically. 

He emphasised that such recognition would facilitate smoother integration of Bangladeshi workers into the Saudi labour market.

The discussions also focused on enhancing language proficiency and technical skills. 

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Labour and Employment Mahdi Amin proposed deeper collaboration with Saudi authorities in developing a skilled workforce. 

He suggested upgrading selected technical training centers in Bangladesh under Saudi supervision and expanding Arabic language training for aspiring migrant workers.

Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafdar and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to Geneva Nahida Sobhan were also present at the meeting.

The Saudi side thanked the Bangladesh Permanent Mission for its continued support at the ILO and extended an invitation to the Bangladeshi minister to visit Saudi Arabia.

Both sides expressed optimism about elevating bilateral cooperation in the labour sector to new heights, with a shared focus on skill development, certification, and increased workforce mobility.