Overseas jobs hit 43-month low in April as Saudi recruitment drops 64%

Bangladesh’s overseas job market faced a major blow in April 2025, as the number of workers sent abroad dropped to just 49,983—the lowest in 43 months. The sharpest impact came from Saudi Arabia, where recruitment of Bangladeshi workers plunged by over 64% compared to March. This slump followed the strict re-enforcement of a rule requiring embassy attestation for single visa holders, which has been in place since late January.

Data from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) shows a 52% overall decline in foreign employment from March and a 41% drop compared to April last year. Labour recruiters fear this trend could spiral into a broader crisis, especially since key markets like Malaysia, the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain remain largely shut due to ongoing concerns over corruption and mismanagement in the recruitment process.

Saudi Arabia had accounted for nearly 57% of overseas employment in March, making Bangladesh’s reliance on the kingdom dangerously high. The dramatic fall from 80,663 recruits in March to just 28,671 in April has validated long-standing warnings from the recruitment sector. Other countries that accepted Bangladeshi workers in April included Qatar (6,295 workers), followed by Singapore, Kuwait, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The crisis has reignited protests from recruiters, who are calling for a simpler process to obtain BMET clearance cards for Saudi-bound workers. Today, a group from the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) plans to stage a human chain in front of the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban and submit a memorandum demanding reform. They’re also pressing for action against syndicates controlling the Malaysian labour market and urging the government to explore opportunities in Europe.

BMET has defended the new attestation policy, saying it aligns with Bangladesh’s Foreign Employment and Migration Act 2013 and aims to reduce exploitation by verifying job offers. Previously relaxed for single visa holders, the rule was reimposed amid reports of workers landing in Saudi Arabia without confirmed jobs or valid work permits (Iqamas). The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has since introduced an online system to streamline attestation.

Meanwhile, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. After months of lobbying, the UAE has begun reopening its doors. UAE Ambassador Abdulla Ali ALHmoudi, in a meeting with Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, confirmed that visit visas are now being issued daily, and business visa processing has been accelerated. More significantly, the UAE has reactivated its online system for skilled employment visas, recently approving hundreds of visas for professionals and security guards, with more on the way.

This revival in UAE recruitment is a positive signal, but experts say Bangladesh must urgently diversify its labour markets to avoid such setbacks in the future.