The number of migrants going abroad for work has declined by 36 percent in February compared to January, with a significant slowdown in migrants going to Saudi Arabia, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training's (BMET).

BMET's 'Monthly Overseas Employment' data for February shows that 62,436 workers migrated abroad last month, compared to 97,867 workers in January, bringing this year's total for overseas employment to 1,60,303.

Last year, 10.11 lakh workers migrated abroad for work. Of them, 1,62,158 went in the first two months, with 74,306 leaving in February.

Of the total number of migrants travelling abroad for work in 2025 so far, 1,20,876 workers or 75.4 percent have gone to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom remains the prime destination for low-paid Bangladeshi workers.

However, migration to Saudi Arabia has fallen sharply month on month to only 44,258 workers, compared to 76,618 workers in January.

Qatar has been the second most common destination for Bangladeshi workers last month, taking in 7,150, followed by Singapore (3,735), Kuwait (2,084), and Jordan (873).

The fall in workers' migration last month was also evident because of other major destinations such as Oman and Malaysia continuing to limit taking in new workers from Bangladesh. Oman has been maintaining a restriction on new low-paid workers from Bangladesh since October, 2023, whereas Malaysia made effective a similar restriction on all of its labour-sourcing countries including Bangladesh from June last year.

However, BMET data shows 301 workers have gone to Malaysia in February and 1,286 workers in January since the Southeast Asian country, as per the Bangladesh government, has been hiring Bangladeshi migrant workers for its plantation sector. BMET data also shows 18 workers have gone to Oman in January and six workers in February.

According to government officials, Bangladesh sends workers abroad for jobs to more than 160 countries across the globe. However, the majority of the workers migrate to only a handful of countries including the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and Malaysia and Singapore in Southeast Asia. Although people from Bangladesh migrate abroad each year in various categories, like professional and skilled workers, the majority of them seek jobs as low-paid workers.