Overseas employment back in flow as Saudi recruitment picks up in May
Despite the recovery, concerns remain as the job market is heavily dependent on a single country – Saudi Arabia, which alone accounted for 66% of the total overseas hires in May
Highlights:
- Overseas jobs rebounded in May with 105,213 workers deployed
- Saudi Arabia took 66% of workers; job market remains unbalanced
- Recruitment delays earlier due to embassy attestation requirement changes
- Free visas, Iqama costs causing joblessness and undocumented workers
- Key markets like UAE, Oman, Bahrain remain closed to Bangladesh
- May remittances hit $2.97B, boosted by Eid and dollar rate
Overseas employment from Bangladesh rebounded in May, with 105,213 workers heading abroad – a 52% increase compared to the previous month, although still 20% lower than the same month last year, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
Despite the recovery, concerns remain as the job market is heavily dependent on a single country – Saudi Arabia, which alone accounted for 66% of the total overseas hires in May.
The recruitment process slowed down in February and April due to delays in Saudi Arabia, following the reintroduction of mandatory embassy attestation for single-visa holders by the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh.
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Once pending visas were cleared, recruitment activities returned to normal, according to industry insiders.
"While we remain aware of the risk of workers becoming jobless upon arrival, our focus is on ensuring smooth employment opportunities for aspiring migrants. That's why we are issuing clearance cards based on actual demand," Saleh Ahmed Mujaffor, director general of BMET, told The Business Standard.
Saudi Arabia hired 69,561 Bangladeshi workers in May, up from 28,671 the previous month. Qatar was the second-largest destination, recruiting 10,971 workers, followed by countries such as Singapore, the Maldives, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan.
Officials are also hopeful about the possible reopening of Malaysia's labour market. A final decision is expected in the second week of July, coinciding with a planned visit to Malaysia by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
However, several key destinations, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Bahrain, remain closed to Bangladeshi workers amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the recruitment process.
Industry insiders have urged the government to pursue diplomatic efforts to reopen these markets and also explore new ones, particularly in Europe, where there is rising demand for skilled labour.
Free visas and Iqama issues
Many workers face joblessness upon arrival, especially those migrating on so-called "free visas" that often lack guaranteed employment.
"Saudi Arabia still offers sufficient job opportunities, especially in low-skilled sectors such as construction, cleaning, and domestic work. However, cases of joblessness often arise due to workers migrating on so-called 'free visas'," said Noman Chowdhury, former vice-president of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira).
"Obtaining an Iqama [residency permit] has become difficult due to high fees, which is a major reason why many workers become undocumented," he added.
Most of the jobs secured in the Middle East remain low-skilled, with monthly wages ranging between Tk25,000 and Tk35,000.
Saudi work visas are divided into group visas, where 25 or more workers are recruited by the same employer, and single-entry visas.
While group visas have always required embassy attestation, the requirement was reinstated for single visas after reports emerged of workers arriving in Saudi Arabia without valid jobs or Iqamas.
The attestation process aims to verify job offers and minimise worker exploitation.
Initially, the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh allowed faster processing to facilitate migration, recognising Saudi Arabia as the country's largest labour market.
However, reports of poor working conditions and premature returns prompted stricter enforcement. The embassy has since introduced a digital system for online attestation of demand letters to improve efficiency.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh received $2.97 billion in remittances in May – the second-highest monthly inflow on record. The surge is attributed to a stable US dollar exchange rate and the Eid-ul-Adha festival, which encouraged expatriates to send more money home.
This follows a record-high inflow of $3.29 billion in March, mainly ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.
