The government has stepped up preparations to send a large number of skilled workers to Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category, as Japan continues to face a shortage of qualified manpower.
The Japanese government has set a target to recruit 8.20 lakh foreign workers across 16 sectors under the SSW category by March 2029.
Experts and officials believe Bangladesh can supply up to 40 percent of this demand, which is more than 300,000 workers, if proper preparations are ensured.
Earlier, Bangladesh had capacity to send workers in only six of these categories. The government is now working to develop skilled manpower for all 16 categories.
Md Jahangir Alam, Chairman of the Japanese Studies Department at Dhaka University, described Japan as an attractive destination for Bangladeshi workers. He said Bangladesh can meet a significant share of Japan’s labour demand with proper skill development, increasing foreign currency earnings.
Citing a report published in The Japan Times, the labour welfare wing of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo said Japan aims to recruit around 12 lakh foreign workers under the Employment Skill Development (ESD) and SSW categories by March 2029.
Long-term projections suggest Japan may need up to 1.1 crore foreign workers by 2040.
Jahangir stressed the need for Japanese language proficiency and familiarity with advanced technologies before migration.
He said gaining trust in Japanese society would open wider opportunities for Bangladeshi workers.
He also said Bangladesh could potentially supply 50 to 60 percent of Japan’s labour demand by 2040 if conditions are met.
To support this goal, the government has adopted short, medium and long-term plans. These include improving Japanese language training centres, enhancing trainer capacity, bringing instructors from Japan, setting up special economic zones for skill training and expanding training facilities nationwide.
Work is also underway to upgrade Technical Training Centres (TTCs) under the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) to Japanese standards through agreements with Japanese institutions.
At present, Japanese language training is available in 53 TTCs, while 15 centres provide hybrid online training. More than 200 private language institutes are also operating across the country. Bangladesh now has 95 approved recruiting agencies authorised by Japan, according to available data.
The government has increased focus on the Japanese labour market to compete with countries such as Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia. It has appointed a high-level adviser in the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and a special assistant to expand employment opportunities in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
A dedicated Japan Cell has also been established within the ministry, with plans to strengthen its structure, recruit personnel and launch a separate website. The Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo has been reinforced with additional staff, including a consular officer, support personnel and Japanese nationals to better understand local demand and support job placement.
The government is also promoting student migration. Around 4,000 Bangladeshi students went to Japan on student visas in 2025, while the target for 2026 has been set at 10,000.
To support this, Probashi Kallyan Bank is offering loans of up to Tk 1 million per student on easy terms. Students in Japan are allowed to work more than 28 hours per week.
The requirement for manpower agencies to deposit Tk1.5 million has also been waived to simplify the process.
Deputy Secretary Md Hedayetul Islam Mondol of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment said Bangladesh has taken several pragmatic steps to expand manpower export to Japan. These include strengthening bilateral engagement, improving training initiatives, easing loan facilities, streamlining payments through banking channels and revising relevant guidelines.
He said these measures have helped turn Japan into a major destination for Bangladeshi workers.
He added that Japan offers strong opportunities for foreign workers due to its high standards in human resource development, social benefits and attractive income prospects.
The government, through the Japan Cell and relevant ministries, is working to ensure that Bangladeshi workers are properly trained in both skills and language before going abroad.
