Diplomatic Correspondent; Dbarta24– In a major relief for thousands of Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom has announced that workers whose primary employers (Kafeels) fail to renew their residency permits (Iqama) can now transfer their employment to a new sponsor without facing legal hurdles.
The key policy decision was disclosed during high-level bilateral talks between Bangladeshi officials and a visiting Saudi delegation in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the largest overseas employment destinations for Bangladeshi workers.
However, expatriates frequently encounter severe legal uncertainties, fines, and potential deportation when their employers fail to timely issue or renew their Iqama residency permits.
The latest policy shift aims to eliminate these legal bottlenecks and guarantee workforce stability for Bangladeshi migrants operating within the Kingdom.
The bilateral meeting featured Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Consular Affairs, Dr. Mohammad A.M. Alshameri, and Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Eisa, alongside Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury.
During the discussions, Bangladesh submitted several proposals to bolster labor market collaboration, including:
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Joint Technical Training Institute: Establishing a joint Saudi-Bangladesh Technical Training Institute in Bangladesh to deliver skill development, Arabic language proficiency, Saudi labor law education, and pre-departure orientation.
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Mutual Skill Recognition: Creating a formal framework for mutual recognition of technical and professional qualifications to facilitate hiring skilled personnel across healthcare, construction, IT, and hospitality sectors.
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Qawmi Madrasa Talent Pool: Training Arabic-literate students from Qawmi madrasas for specialized job opportunities in the Saudi labor market.
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World Cup 2034 Infrastructure Demand: Scaling up recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi personnel ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia, as highlighted by State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Md. Nurul Huq.
Additionally, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Engineer Waleed El-Khereiji met with Prime Minister Tariq Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office, delivering an official invitation to visit Saudi Arabia, which the Prime Minister accepted for a mutually convenient time.
Speaking on the long-standing ties between both nations, Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury noted:
“Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia share a long-standing friendly relationship. Bangladeshi workers not only play a vital role in Saudi Arabia’s development but also contribute significantly to our national economy by sending remittances.”
By streamlining Iqama transfers and considering mutual skill recognition frameworks, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh are positioning their bilateral labor relations toward higher-skilled economic integration.
This transition is expected to offer better legal protection for workers while meeting Saudi Arabia’s growing demand for skilled labor.