Malaysia to become second-largest job market for Bangladeshis

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Malaysia plans to recruit around 200,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next six months, becoming the second-largest destination for Bangladeshi migrants after Saudi Arabia. This initiative includes waiving recruitment fees and chartered flights, aiming to lower migration costs and strengthen labor ties between the two countries.

Malaysia is poised to become the second-largest job market for Bangladeshi workers after Saudi Arabia, with approximately 200,000 workers expected to be recruited over the next six months starting in September, according to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

Saudi Arabia remains the primary destination for Bangladeshi expatriates, hosting nearly 3 million workers and accounting for the largest overseas Bangladeshi community. The labor relationship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia dates back to the 1970s, and remittances from Saudi-based workers exceed $5 billion annually. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) currently ranks third, but its migration rate from Bangladesh has slowed in recent months.

Discussions on expanding labor cooperation with Malaysia were a key part of talks between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during Rahman’s visit to Kuala Lumpur in June. Following a meeting in Dhaka between Bangladesh’s State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Mir Shahe Alam and Malaysian High Commissioner Shuhada Othman, the announcement was made regarding the recruitment of 200,000 Bangladeshi workers by Malaysia.

Shahidul Islam Chowdhury, joint secretary in the ministry’s employment wing, confirmed that Malaysia currently hosts about 1 million Bangladeshi migrants, putting it ahead of the UAE, where more than 1 million Bangladeshis lived at the start of 2026. However, migration trends in the UAE have slowed, with the country issuing only about 14,500 visas to Bangladeshi workers in the first eight months of the year. In comparison, Saudi Arabia issued visas to roughly 275,000 Bangladeshi workers during the same period.

The recruitment process for Malaysia is expected to commence in late September with an initial batch of 10,000 workers. These migrants will be exempt from recruitment fees, a development aimed at reducing the cost of migration. Dr. Zahid Us Rahman, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser, said that the first group would travel on specially chartered flights operated by Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited, a government-owned entity. He described this approach as setting a "new precedent" by lowering migration costs to zero.

Additionally, authorities are working to register Bangladeshi workers currently residing in Malaysia who had not been previously documented. The expansion of labor migration to Malaysia reflects growing bilateral cooperation and shifts in migration patterns in South and Southeast Asia.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.