03/01/2026
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03/01/2026
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DHAKA, Jan 3: Bangladesh sent more than 750,000 workers to Saudi Arabia in 2025, marking the highest number of overseas deployments to a single country in the nation’s history, according to official data released by the country’s labor authorities on Friday.
The record outflow further reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as the primary destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers. Of the more than 1.1 million Bangladeshis who sought employment abroad in 2025, over two-thirds chose the Kingdom, maintaining a long-standing labor migration trend that dates back to the 1970s.
Currently, an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshis live and work in Saudi Arabia, forming the largest expatriate community in the Kingdom. Their remittances play a vital role in Bangladesh’s economy, contributing more than $5 billion annually.
“More than 750,000 Bangladeshi migrants went to Saudi Arabia last year,” said Ashraf Hossain, Additional Director-General of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). “This is the highest number Bangladesh has ever recorded in terms of sending workers to a single destination in one year.”
Official figures also show a significant year-on-year increase. In 2024, approximately 628,000 Bangladeshi workers migrated to Saudi Arabia, meaning last year’s total represents a rise of about 16 percent.
Shift towards skilled migration
Authorities said the increase is partly the result of a strategic shift toward exporting more skilled labor, following Saudi Arabia’s launch of the Skill Verification Program in Bangladesh in 2023. The initiative, overseen by the Saudi agency Takamol, aims to enhance workforce competence and align migrant skills with the Kingdom’s labor market needs.
“Our focus is now on promoting safe, skilled, and regular migration,” Hossain said. “Skilled manpower exports to Saudi Arabia increased significantly over the past year, with more than one-third of Bangladeshi workers migrating under the Skill Verification Program.”
Bangladesh has also expanded its domestic capacity to certify skilled workers. The number of Saudi-approved testing and certification centers has risen sharply, enabling faster and broader verification of candidates.
“Just three to four months ago, we were able to certify only about 1,000 skilled workers per month,” Hossain said. “Now, with 28 Saudi-approved centers operating across the country, we have the capacity to certify up to 60,000 skilled workers each month for the Saudi labor market.”
New sectors and future demand
In a further move to diversify employment opportunities, BMET this week began offering specialized training in mining, a sector where Saudi Arabia is expected to see growing labor demand.
“There is substantial demand for skilled mining workers in Saudi Arabia,” Hossain said. “We are working to develop a workforce that is genuinely skilled and ready to meet the Kingdom’s evolving labor requirements.”
Strengthened bilateral cooperation
Labor cooperation between the two countries has also been reinforced through a new employment agreement signed in October. The pact enhances worker protections, ensures timely wage payments, and improves access to welfare and healthcare services for Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement also expands opportunities in construction and large-scale infrastructure developments linked to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda. Officials estimate that these projects could generate up to 300,000 additional jobs for Bangladeshi workers in 2026.
