Bangladesh Deploys Record 750,000 Workers to Saudi Arabia in 2025

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In a historic milestone for overseas labour, Saudi Arabia welcomed a record-breaking 750,000 Bangladeshi workers in 2025, marking the highest annual deployment from Bangladesh to any single country. This surge represents a 16% increase over the previous year and solidifies the Kingdom’s role as the primary destination for the Bangladeshi diaspora, which now stands at 3.5 million people contributing over $5 billion in annual remittances. Beyond the sheer volume of migrants, the partnership has seen a strategic shift toward high-skilled labour. Facilitated by the Saudi Skill Verification Program and a massive expansion of approved testing centers in Bangladesh, increasing certification capacity from 1,000 to 60,000 workers per month, more than one-third of these migrants arrived as certified professionals.

Looking ahead to 2026, the bilateral relationship is poised for further growth driven by a landmark employment agreement signed in late 2025. This deal not only enhances worker protections and welfare services but also paves the way for Bangladeshi participation in major Vision 2030 infrastructure projects, which could create up to 300,000 new jobs. To meet this demand, Bangladesh has already begun specialized training in emerging sectors like mining, aiming to transition from a general labour provider to a primary source of technical expertise for the Kingdom's diversifying economy.