From registration to return: Strengthening overseas employment governance in Bangladesh with ILO support

Dhaka (ILO News) - Bangladesh has taken a significant step towards safer, more transparent and efficient labour migration with the introduction of the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP) - a fully integrated digital system developed by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The OEP functions as a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that brings together all major stakeholders in overseas employment under one digital ecosystem. By streamlining processes across the migration cycle - from registration and skills training to job matching, emigration clearance and post-arrival monitoring - the platform is helping reduce migration costs, improve compliance and protect migrant workers’ rights. Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) is the funding partner of this initiative.

A fully integrated, paperless system

The OEP is designed to ensure that data is collected once at each point in the migration process and then securely shared across relevant modules. This eliminates duplication, reduces delays and enhances transparency. The system is fully paperless, with all documents uploaded and stored digitally in image or PDF format.

Built with a single sign-on (SSO) architecture and secured through OTP-based authentication, the platform supports around 11,000 concurrent users. Online payments are integrated across multiple stages, further reducing reliance on intermediaries and informal transactions. Importantly, the system also supports data-driven planning by providing insights into skills supply and future labour market demand, contributing to the development of a skilled national workforce.

Key modules supporting the migration lifecycle

The OEP consists of several interconnected modules that together manage the full overseas employment process.

• Aspirant Migrant Portal

Through the Aspirant Migrant Portal (employee.oep.gov.bd), any Bangladeshi citizen with a National ID can register by verifying their identity through the government’s central system. The portal maintains a comprehensive digital profile for each aspirant migrant, including personal details, education, skills, language proficiency, work experience, certifications and banking information.

Registered users can independently enroll in skills training and pre-departure orientation programmes offered by Technical Training Centres (TTCs), Institutes of Marine Technology (IMTs) and District Employment and Manpower Offices (DEMOs), using the same login credentials and online payment system. Aspirant migrants can search for overseas jobs, apply for emigration clearance directly, or authorize licensed recruiting agencies to act on their behalf.

The platform also supports migrant protection mechanisms. Migrants are digitally recorded at departure and arrival points at airports, can update employment information after joining jobs abroad, and submit complaints if job conditions differ from what was promised. Returned migrants are marked in the system and remain part of the skilled workforce database for future opportunities.

• BMET Learning Management System (LMS)

The BMET LMS (training.oep.gov.bd) serves as a centralized training management system for all government TTCs, IMTs and DEMOs. The system enables BMET to design and approve training courses, allocate them to accredited institutions and monitor implementation.

Training centres can manage batches, instructors can conduct assessments and track progress, and certificates are generated through a structured approval process - from principal to Director General, BMET. Once approved, certificates are automatically made available in the Aspirant Migrant Portal, ensuring recognition by agencies and employers.

• Recruiting Agency Information Management System (RAIMS)

Operational since 2018, the Recruiting Agency Information Management System (RAIMS) enables licensed recruiting agencies to access BMET services digitally through raims.oep.gov.bd. Agencies can apply for new licences, manage renewals, update information, search for employers, submit job demands and apply for emigration clearance.

RAIMS also allows agencies to access verified employer profiles and skilled worker databases, supporting more accurate and ethical job matching while strengthening regulatory oversight.

• Employer and Mission Portal

The Employer and Mission Portal (employer.oep.gov.bd) enables overseas employers to register and submit job demands directly into the system. Bangladesh missions abroad play a central role in verifying employers and approving job offers through a structured, step-by-step digital process.

Once approved, job opportunities become visible to BMET, recruiting agencies and aspirant migrants, ensuring transparency and reducing the risk of fraudulent recruitment.

• Admin Portal and real-time oversight

The Admin Portal (admin.oep.gov.bd) provides comprehensive oversight and control of the entire system. Different departments manage their respective functions - recruiting agencies, training, and emigration clearance - while system rules and workflows can be configured dynamically.

Senior officials, including ADGs, the Director General of BMET and the Ministry, have access to real-time data dashboards, analytics and reports, enabling evidence-based decision-making and rapid policy responses.

Advancing safe, fair and orderly migration

By digitizing and integrating overseas employment governance, the OEP is helping Bangladesh move towards a migration system that is more transparent, efficient and worker-centred. With ILO’s continued support, the platform strengthens institutional coordination, reduces opportunities for exploitation and supports migrant workers at every stage of their journey - contributing to safer migration and better development outcomes for workers, families and the country as a whole.

Watch the video to see how OEP is helping build safer and more dignified migration journeys.