Govt plans to send 10 million skilled workers abroad in 5 years

Published : Thursday, 9 July, 2026 at 9:16 PM Count : 11

Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury has said that a plan has been taken to send 10 million skilled workers abroad in the next 5 years.

“In view of this, skill development training is being provided in 55 employment-friendly short and long-term trades/courses through a total of 110 training institutions, including 104 technical training centers and 6 institutes of marine technology, under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment,” he said.

He said this in response to questions from Naogaon-5 MP Zahidul Islam Dhalu in the budget session of the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon. The session is being presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury said, “In order to consolidate, expand and preserve the foreign labor market, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has formulated an action plan as part of the implementation of the government's election manifesto to develop skilled workers suitable for foreign employment and eliminate their language problems. In addition, a plan has been taken to send 10 million skilled workers abroad in the next 5 years.

“In this context, skill development training is currently being provided in 55 employment-friendly short and long-term trades/courses through a total of 110 training institutions, including 104 technical training centers and 6 institutes of marine technology, under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.”

In response to a question from Barisal-3 MP Zainul Abedin, the minister said, “The government is working to ensure safe, regular and orderly immigration, control immigration costs and fraud by brokers. The Overseas Employment Platform (OEP) has been launched to make immigration management more transparent, accountable and easy, including reducing the violence of middlemen in sending overseas workers quickly, admission, monitoring, certification of trainees in training institutions, verification of demand letters/visas from the labor welfare wing located abroad and issuance of exit clearances for workers going abroad. As a result, the violence of middlemen at various stages of immigration has reduced, which will increase transparency and accountability in immigration management.”

He further said, “To bring brokers or sub-agents under the legal framework, the government has formulated the ‘Overseas Employment and Immigration (Recruiting Agent License and Sub-Agent Registration and Conduct Rules, 2025’) rules. Apart from this, District Immigration Coordination Committee and Upazila Immigration Coordination Committee have been formed at the district and upazila levels respectively to implement immigration-related activities.”

FA/R