Historically, Malaysia provided recruitment opportunities to a significantly higher number of agencies from other nations compared to Bangladesh. In response, the current Bangladeshi government has consistently advocated for parity, requesting that all valid, licensed local recruiting agencies be granted equal opportunities to participate in the labor export market, aligning the process with other labor-sending countries.
This shift follows the 3rd Joint Working Group meeting held in Dhaka on May 21-22, 2025. During these extensive discussions, the Malaysian delegation committed to establishing standardized selection benchmarks for private recruiting agencies to ensure Bangladesh receives the same opportunities as other nations. On October 28, 2025, Malaysia formally communicated these specific ‘Recruiting Agent Selection Criteria’ to the Bangladeshi government. It is understood that these uniform standards will eventually govern the selection of recruiting agents across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
To qualify for listing, recruiting agencies must meet ten rigorous criteria. First, they must demonstrate at least five years of satisfactory operational experience following the receipt of their license. Second, they are required to provide documented evidence of having successfully deployed at least 3,000 workers abroad over the past five years. Third, agencies must have experience in sending workers to at least three different destination countries within the same five-year period.
Fourth, the agency must hold valid licenses from all relevant Bangladeshi authorities for training, assessment, recruitment, and overseas employment. Fifth, they must possess a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ issued by the appropriate authorities in the labor-sending country. Sixth, the agency must have a clean record, free from any involvement in forced labor, human trafficking, labor law violations, extortion, money laundering, or other financial and unethical immigration crimes.
Seventh, the agency is required to maintain its own training and assessment center, equipped with accommodation and technical training facilities, including an induction module. Eighth, they must provide testimonials from at least five separate international employers confirming the successful execution of previous migration services. Ninth, the agency must operate from a permanent office of at least 10,000 square feet that has been in use for at least three years, featuring adequate infrastructure for worker selection and recruitment activities.
The tenth requirement mandates that the agency must provide proof of having previously followed the legal and procedural recruitment conditions of destination countries, including Malaysia. The government of Bangladesh intends to formally request that the Malaysian government include all agencies meeting these specific criteria in the official list of approved recruiters without any deviations.
Consequently, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment has issued a call for all eligible, licensed Bangladeshi recruiting agencies to submit their applications along with the necessary supporting documentation. Interested parties must complete their submissions by November 7, 2025.
This initiative represents a significant step toward transparency and equity in the international labor market. For further inquiries, agencies may contact the ministry or reach out to the editorial office located at 11/5 Kalabagan, Dhaka, 1205, via email at info@.com or by phone at +88 01715 800 701.