National

10,000 Bangladeshi Workers to Go to Malaysia at No Cost

THT Report • October 15, 2026

Malaysia has agreed in principle to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers without charging them migration costs, as the country reopens its labour market to Bangladesh.

The Malaysian authorities have also agreed to enlist 338 Bangladeshi recruitment organisations. These include the state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), 25 private processing or service agencies and 312 recruiting agencies.

The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment announced the decision on Thursday (October 15).

The recruitment process will be completed in four stages: collecting job orders from Malaysian employers, selecting workers, completing calling visa and e-visa procedures, and obtaining final clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

The government said no single organisation would be allowed to control medical examinations. Approved medical centres will initially conduct the health checks, while a Malaysian delegation will later inspect and approve a final list of centres.

Interested workers may begin the process through listed and authorised recruiting agencies. The government has promised strict monitoring to ensure the process remains safe, affordable and free from exploitation.