Bangladesh received $30.33 billion in remittances in the 2024–25 financial year. These earnings help families pay for food, education, health care and debt, while supporting the wider economy. But remittance receipts alone cannot measure success. Bangladesh must also ask whether its workers are securing safe, skilled and better-paid jobs – and whether they are prepared for a labour market being reshaped by technology.
Too many Bangladeshis still migrate for low-paid work, often at considerable personal cost. A government study found that about 47% of workers who went abroad during 1976–2019 were classified as less-skilled. This historical figure does not describe today's departing workers, but it highlights a longstanding challenge and the need for better, regularly updated information.
Dependence on a few destinations adds another vulnerability. A report by the International Organisation for Migration indicates that Saudi Arabia received about two-thirds of departing Bangladeshi workers in 2024. A policy change or economic slowdown in one major market could therefore affect many families. Bangladesh needs to diversify both its destinations and its occupations. Entering new markets will offer limited gains if workers continue to compete for low-paid jobs.
There are promising opportunities. Ageing populations and labour shortages are creating demand for workers in several countries. The European Labour Authority identifies shortages in health care, construction, hospitality, technical trades and transport. Germany needs nurses and technical workers. Japan admits foreign workers into selected shortage sectors, while South Korea permits recruitment where employers cannot find suitable local workers.
Yet a shortage abroad does not automatically translate into an accessible job for a Bangladeshi applicant. Entry may depend on language proficiency, professional licensing, recognised qualifications, employer sponsorship or a particular visa. Bangladesh's strategy must therefore begin with the requirements of specific jobs in specific countries.
Technological change makes this task more urgent. A 2025 International Labour Organization study found that about one in four workers worldwide are in occupations with some exposure to generative artificial intelligence. Routine office tasks are particularly exposed. Exposure, however, does not mean that an entire job will disappear: AI may replace some tasks while helping workers perform others more effectively. Meanwhile, robotics and other forms of automation can reduce demand for repetitive physical work.
Bangladesh must prepare workers for both AI and automation. It should identify occupations with credible demand and help workers use technology productively within them.
Nursing and care require human interaction, judgement and trust. Electricians, plumbers and heating and cooling technicians solve practical problems in varied settings. Factories need people who can maintain and repair increasingly sophisticated machinery. Solar installations and other energy systems also require skilled technicians. Selected construction trades, health technician roles and culinary occupations may provide further opportunities.
None of these occupations is immune to technological change. Their prospects also differ across countries. Training decisions must be based on verified demand, realistic earnings, entry requirements and the likelihood that workers can obtain the necessary qualifications. Five priorities should guide this approach.
First, Bangladesh needs better labour-market information. The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment should coordinate with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh missions abroad to publish a practical quarterly guide to priority markets.
It should identify occupations, required qualifications, language standards, expected wages and visa conditions. Crucially, it should distinguish general labour shortages from vacancies open to foreign applicants. Employers should confirm demand before large training programmes begin.
Second, training should be linked to employment. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, the National Skills Development Authority and training providers should design courses with overseas employers and relevant qualification bodies. Practical skills, language, workplace safety and digital competence should be taught together. Nurses need patient communication skills; electricians must understand technical and safety instructions.
Workers should also learn to use appropriate digital and AI tools for translation, documentation, technical troubleshooting and continued learning, while checking accuracy and following workplace rules. Small, employer-backed programmes should come first. Expansion should depend on verified placements, satisfactory working conditions and feedback from graduates and employers. Enrolment and course completion alone are insufficient measures of success.
Third, Bangladesh must help workers demonstrate their existing capabilities. Many workers acquire valuable skills through employment rather than formal education. Accessible practical assessments and recognition of prior learning can help them obtain credible qualifications without repeating unnecessary training.
At the same time, Bangladesh should pursue arrangements that make its qualifications acceptable to destination-country employers and authorities. For regulated professions, this may require additional examinations, supervised practice or licensing. A domestic certificate has limited value overseas unless it meets the receiving country's requirements.
Fourth, recruitment must become safer, more transparent and less costly. Workers need verified employers, understandable written contracts and clear information about recruitment charges. They should know their likely earnings after taxes, housing, transport and other deductions. A high advertised salary can conceal a poor financial outcome.
Recruitment costs, contract violations and complaints should be tracked by destination and recruiter, with timely action when problems arise. Women and men should have fair access to training and employment, including opportunities for women in technical trades and digital occupations. Safe accommodation, accessible support and effective complaint channels are essential.
Fifth, public support should follow results. The government should track how many trainees pass recognised assessments, receive verified offers, enter employment and remain employed. It should also monitor actual earnings, migration costs, working conditions and safety. Results should be reported separately for women and men. This evidence would show which programmes deserve expansion and which require redesign.
The European Union–Bangladesh Talent Partnership, supported by the International Labour Organization, offers an opportunity to test elements of this approach. It aims to improve the skills of 3,000 workers and strengthen skills recognition, job matching and safe migration. Its experience should inform future programmes, with attention to verified employment and worker outcomes.
A practical pilot could begin within two years. During the first six months, a joint team could assess five to seven destination markets and 15–20 occupations. Between month seven and month 18, selected training centres could deliver small courses backed by credible employers, alongside qualification and recruitment support. By month 24, an independent review could assess placements, earnings, costs and safety.
The government should designate a lead agency, provide a modest pilot budget and publish measurable targets. Programmes that consistently fail to produce decent jobs should be redesigned or discontinued.
Bangladesh cannot control technological change or other countries' migration policies. It can improve how it selects markets, prepares workers and protects their interests. Success should be measured by the quality of jobs workers obtain, the costs they bear and the income they retain. A strategy built around skills, trusted qualifications and worker protection can raise family incomes while giving young Bangladeshis a stronger reason to invest in their capabilities.
Shahid Khandker is a Lead Economist (Retd.) and Farhad Ahmed is a Senior Transport Specialist (Retd.), both at the World Bank, Washington, DC. They are trustees of the Human Capital Initiative (HCI). They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected], respectively.