Case Study

Labour Migration Study

International Organization for Migration

Labour Migration Study

Bangladesh & Saudi Arabia

2 months

The Brief

The Research Base, working with City & Guilds, was commissioned by the International Organization for Migration to gather evidence on the key challenges and opportunities in skilled construction sector employment for Bangladeshi migrants working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Project Approach

The project comprised a desk review on the construction industry in Saudi Arabia and the use of foreign skilled and semi-skilled labour, as well as skilled Bangladeshi migrant workers; a data review on migration and occupational trends; a jobs scan; and interviews with employers, relevant academics and Bangladeshi migrant workers. A framework was used to guide research and analysis which covered context and trends (e.g. the macro-environmental, social and political factors influencing the demand for migrant construction workers); recruitment processes, priorities and barriers; stakeholder perceptions; and recommendations around development of skills verification/recognition of prior learning tests for Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

Impact

The research findings are being used to inform a Skills Verification Programme, through which Bangladeshi workers will have their existing skills recognised and verified; this will enable them to secure more highly paid, better quality work in Saudi Arabia's construction sector.