Saudi begins recruiting Bangladeshi nurses in landmark move

Saudi Arabia has started recruiting Bangladeshi nurses, marking a significant milestone in overseas employment, as the Gulf nation traditionally employs lower-wage, less-skilled workers from the country.

The recruitment process, targeting an initial intake of 500 nurses, has commenced through both public and private agencies, with the potential for gradual increases in demand, provided Bangladeshi candidates meet the stringent requirements set by the Saudi Ministry of Health, according to officials from the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL).

On 24 October, the BOESL, the state-owned recruiting agency, issued a notice inviting qualified BSc nurses to apply for positions with Afras Trading and Contracting Company, a Saudi-based private firm.

The salary for qualified nurses will be equivalent to more than Tk100,000. However, eligible candidates must have at least three years of experience, proficiency in English, and certification from the Saudi Prometric exam.

The Saudi Prometric Exam for Nurses is a standardised test that evaluates the readiness of nursing professionals to practise in Saudi Arabia. Administered by Prometric, it is a prerequisite for obtaining a nursing licence from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

A BOESL official told that it is quite difficult to find nurses who meet the standards required to pass the Prometric exam.

Mallick Anwar Hossain, immediate past managing director of BOESL, told, "We have an initial demand for around 200 nurses. If we meet this demand, we will gradually take on more."

Recently, the private agency Nazifa Recruitment Services organised a major recruitment exam for Bangladeshi nurses on behalf of the Saudi Ministry of Health. The event saw enthusiastic participation from almost 300 nurses, showcasing their skills and dedication to the healthcare profession, according to the agency.

The selection process included both written and viva exams to evaluate the candidates' comprehensive abilities. Out of the 281 participants, 215 nurses passed with exceptional results and secured positions as nurse specialists at various hospitals under the Saudi Ministry of Health.

The total number of registered and classified nursing staff in the Saudi health sector reached 235,461 in 2023, according to a report released by the Ministry of Health, as reported by the Saudi Gazette in May.

In 2018, the number of registered nurses was 184,565, of whom 70,319 were Saudi nationals. Foreign nurses account for about 70% of the nursing workforce, with the majority coming from India, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Youssef Essa Al Duhailan told that a delegation will soon visit Bangladesh to discuss recruiting medical professionals.

"We are hosting and welcoming more migrants, but we want to focus on skilled workers rather than semi-skilled or non-skilled workers. While there is a need for semi-skilled and non-skilled labour, our vision requires skilled workers more than ever," he said.

Al Duhailan explained that Saudi Arabia has not recruited medical staff from Bangladesh for around 15 years because they did not meet the standards set by the Saudi Ministry of Health. To address this, Bangladesh must improve its curriculum, colleges, and institutions, a process that may take 5 to 10 years, he said.

"We have discussed with Bangladesh the possibility of training medical staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, and lab technicians in Saudi Arabia for two to three months. After the training, they can work in hospitals and serve the healthcare sector," he added.

Under an agreement signed between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh in 2022, the Gulf nation will begin recruiting medical staff from Bangladesh. According to data from the Bangladesh Medical Association, there are only a few dozen clinicians among the nearly 30 lakh Bangladeshi expatriates living in Saudi Arabia.

As part of the 2022 agreement, the first batch of Bangladeshi health workers reached Saudi Arabia in late 2023. Bangladesh, with its more than 100 medical colleges, produces a large number of certified doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals who can meet the increasing demand for medical staff in Saudi Arabia.