The Minister of Expatriates’ Welfare has announced that a new horizon in the migration sector will begin with Japan. Skilled workers from Bangladesh will go to Japan free of cost. Recently, Bangladesh has become the ninth country to receive this opportunity, alongside China, Vietnam, and six others. The Minister stated that the new chapter in migration will start with Japan. Experts believe that proper training must be ensured to make this new market sustainable.
Japan, though advanced in technology and other sectors, is facing a population decline.
In this context, Japan will recruit more than 350,000 workers from nine countries including Bangladesh. A bilateral agreement has recently been signed between the two nations.
Over the next five years, workers skilled in 14 sectors such as caregiving, building cleaning management, machine parts industries, electronics, construction, shipbuilding, automobile, and agriculture, and proficient in the Japanese language, will have the opportunity under two categories.
Minister Imran Ahmed said: “It will take some time for us to produce output. We have many training centers. We want to bring them under one system. If we enhance their skills and standards under BMDC, then our pool of skilled workers will increase significantly.”
If conditions are met, workers will be sent to Japan free of cost. Migration experts emphasize that proper training and strategy are essential to make the most of this opportunity.
BAMRU Director Marina Sultana said: “Japan’s labor market is very important for us. Our workers must demonstrate proper skills there. For that, planning according to categories is necessary. And the recruitment process must be transparent if we want to sustain this labor market.”
BAIRA, the top organization of manpower-exporting agencies, also sees Japan’s new labor market as a fresh opportunity for recruiting agencies.
BAIRA Secretary General Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman said: “Those who get permission must strictly comply with the rules. If we fail to sustain this labor market, it will be a failure for us. As recruiting agencies, it is our collective moral responsibility.”