4 EU countries keen to recruit skilled manpower from Bangladesh

Four European Union (EU) member countries – Italy, Germany, Greece and Romania – expressed interest in recruiting skilled manpower from Bangladesh in six different sectors. A roadmap on manpower recruitment in these countries is going to be finalised by June with Bangladesh likely to receive financial assistance of EUR 3 million initially to achieve the goal of sending skilled manpower.

Foreign ministry officials told this correspondent there have been talks on legal migration between Bangladesh and the EU over the past two years and both sides held a meeting in Brussels on 4-5 March.

The EU introduced a specialised Talent Partnerships scheme for students, graduates and skilled workers in 2021. According to the EU website, this scheme “aims to provide a comprehensive policy framework, as well as funding support to boost mutually beneficial international mobility based on better matching of labour market needs and skills between the EU and partner countries.”

Bangladesh thinks once the manpower recruitment begins in those countries under this programme more job opportunities will also flourish in other European countries, as well as in developed countries.

According to foreign ministry officials, Italy, Germany, Greece and Romania expressed interest in recruiting manpower in different sectors, but initially, Bangladesh can export skilled manpower in six sectors – shipbuilding, readymade garments, information and communication technology, construction, tourism and agriculture. Talks are underway between Bangladesh and the EU to finalise the recruitment process.

Meanwhile, an inter-ministerial meeting was held at the office of foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen on Wednesday with the secretary in the chair to finalise the roadman on manpower export to these four EU countries. Masud Bin Momen told Prothom Alo, “We expect to begin implementation of the roadmap after finalising it within June. The EU’s Talent Partnerships scheme is a pilot project. If this programme is implemented properly, other European countries will show interest in recruiting manpower from Bangladesh.”

A senior foreign ministry official said Italy wants to recruit manpower in the RMG and the shipbuilding industry while Germany wants to take workers in the tourism and the ICT sectors. Romania and Greece showed interest in recruiting skilled construction and agriculture sector workers.

The roadmap on skilled manpower recruitment to four countries outlines the skill development in six sectors as per their demand. Other issues include creating a database of aspiring migrants, increasing institutional capacity to provide training, fixing training modules, providing certificates, training on language, lifestyle and culture for migrants seeking jobs in Italy and Greek language training. The roadmap will also outline the inclusion of migrant workers, who return home after jobs, in society.

Talks are underway with the EU on the process of manpower export. Previously, there were various allegations of not sending manpower through legal channels, migrants taking illegal ways via human traffickers to reach Europe and eventually victims of fraudulence. Now both parties want to settle the issue of the recruitment process quickly.

Regarding this, a government official said Bangladesh has successfully exported manpower through two processes. One is the SSW (specified skilled worker) model and another is the EPS (employment permit scheme) model. Manpower was exported to Japan through the SSW model and to South Korea through the EPS model. A new model can be designed for Europe or the previous model used for Hong Kong can also be considered. Whatever the recruitment process will be, the recruitment authority will remain in the hands of Europe.

There are at least 40,000 skilled workers who are involved in various mega projects including Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and metro rail in Bangladesh. These workers gained specialised skills, but have no institutional certification.

A senior foreign ministry official said these workers with specialised skills have opportunities to work in various countries, but their job scope is very limited due to a lack of certificates. The issue of recognising these workers with specialised skills was raised during the talks with Europe. Recently, Bangladesh requested the EU that the lack of a certificate does not become an obstacle to getting a job for those skilled workers.

This report appeared in the online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna