Bangladesh’s labor migration is getting back to normal, mainly due to more people finding jobs in foreign countries, especially in the Middle East.
In December of last year, a record-breaking 131,000 workers, mostly unskilled, went abroad, the highest in Bangladesh’s history. The last time this many people left for work abroad was in March 2017, with just over 100,000.
This increase in overseas employment is attributed to the improving economies in the Gulf countries, driven by rising oil prices, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, and more opportunities for job seekers. Additionally, a higher quota for Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia (40% compared to the previous 25%) has contributed to this growth.
Many of the workers who were stuck in Bangladesh due to the pandemic are now able to go abroad, and the trend is approaching pre-pandemic levels. The number is expected to rise further, especially as the Malaysian labor market has reopened.
Although most workers going abroad are unskilled, efforts are underway to send skilled workers, including healthcare professionals, to foreign destinations. Vaccination of aspiring migrants has also made their travel smoother.
After coming to a halt in 2020 due to the pandemic, foreign employment opportunities began to rebound in August 2021 and have continued to rise since. In 2021, around 617,000 Bangladeshis found employment abroad, compared to over 700,000 in 2019, the year before the pandemic.
Before the pandemic, around 60,000-65,000 Bangladeshis used to migrate abroad each month, mainly to the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is the most popular destination, followed by Oman, the UAE, Singapore, Jordan, and Qatar.
Most workers are taking up jobs in cleaning, construction, security, and driving, with monthly salaries ranging from Tk20,000 to Tk40,000. Some skilled and semi-skilled workers are also finding opportunities abroad.
In 2021, the majority (74%) of migrants were unskilled, while the percentage of semi-skilled workers dropped to 3% from 14% in 2019. Meanwhile, skilled workers made up 23.3% in 2021, down from 44% in 2019.
The government has increased the incentive on remittance exchange rates to boost remittances. So far, around 1.3 crore Bangladeshis have worked abroad between 1976 and 2021, with the highest number of 10 lakh in 2017.
