Japan to start recruiting Bangladeshi workers from April 1, 2027, as new deal is signed

A new memorandum of cooperation, or MoC, on employment has been formally signed between Bangladesh and Japan to smooth the path for sending skilled workers. Under this agreement, employment of Bangladeshi citizens in the developed East Asian country will begin from April 1, 2027.

On Monday, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment formally informed the media about the signing of the agreement and the launch of worker recruitment.

Earlier, last Sunday, as the fruit of nearly a year of diplomatic effort by the two countries, this new agreement on 'Employment Skills Development' was finally completed between the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Government of Japan.

The secretary of the relevant ministry signed the agreement document for Bangladesh, and representatives of Japan's Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and National Police Agency signed for Japan.

It is being counted as one of the landmark milestones in the long history of the present government's expansion of overseas employment. During Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to Japan, copies of this agreement will be formally exchanged between the top levels of the two countries.

According to the terms of the scheduled agreement, Japan will start the process of recruiting Bangladeshi workers from April 2027. The initial term of the agreement has been set at five years.

After that term ends, it will automatically be extended by another five years, making the overall term of the agreement a long ten years. Through this agreement, Bangladeshi workers going to Japan will receive professional opportunities and full legal protection.

Explaining the main benefits of the agreement, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said it will ensure maximum safety for expatriate workers in employment and further strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries in sending and receiving workers.

In addition, through this employment, the professional skills of Bangladeshi citizens will increase many times over, and workers will get the opportunity to earn a comparatively high salary and to live in Japan for the long term, the minister said.

The minister further clarified that workers employed under this agreement will receive legal rights and protection fully equivalent to local Japanese workers, and male and female workers will receive equal opportunities in workplaces.

In particular, for foreign female workers, no scope has been kept for dismissal or discriminatory behaviour centred on matters such as pregnancy or childbirth. That is, no mandatory provision has been included in this agreement to forcibly send someone back home on the grounds of pregnancy or having given birth.

If this bilateral agreement is successfully implemented, alongside further strengthening the bond of mutual relations between the two friendly countries, the path to transforming Bangladesh's vast manpower into skilled human resources will widen much further, concerned quarters have expressed strong hope.

Attention now turns to the Prime Minister's upcoming Japan visit, when copies of the agreement will be exchanged at the top level. After that, the process of the first Bangladeshi workers starting employment in Japan from April 1, 2027, will be the real test of this agreement.