Overseas Employment of Bangladeshi Workers: Trends, Prospects, and Challenges

Abstract

Key Messages Overseas employment of Bangladeshi workers is a major source of employment and is likely to remain so in the near future. Migration flow is positively correlated with gross domestic product growth in Bangladesh and the long-term trend has continued to be positive for more than 2 decades as economic growth has accelerated. Migrant workers’ remittances to Bangladesh are a significant source of foreign exchange, second only to ready-made garments. High costs of migration brought on by high recruitment fees and charges by intermediaries make access to migration opportunities highly skewed in favor of the upper-income groups. Bilateral agreements between the sending and receiving countries, the recognition of skills of migrant workers, and the governance of the recruitment process and deployment of overseas workers are critical factors to further support overseas employment in Bangladesh.