A government-to-government arrangement has been proposed to facilitate the recruitment of Bangladeshi doctors and nurses for positions in Saudi Arabia

An institutionalised government-to-government (G2G) framework has been proposed to facilitate the recruitment of Bangladeshi doctors, nurses, caregivers, technicians, and other allied health personnel for employment in Saudi Arabia.

The proposal was discussed at a recent meeting between Dr Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, Senior Secretary of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Dr Mohammed Bin Hassan Al-Dughaither, Director General of the General Administration for Contracting and Foreign Offices Affairs at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health.

The meeting took place during Bhuiyan’s official visit to Riyadh, according to an official document obtained by BSS.

Both sides acknowledged the recruitment of 1,200 Bangladeshi graduate nurses for 2024–25, while Bangladesh requested feedback on their performance, professionalism, and service quality. Dhaka also sought suggestions on improving training, language proficiency, and overall preparedness.

To expand private-sector opportunities for qualified nurses, Bangladesh requested an exemption from the Prometric exam for nurses and proposed adopting a recruitment model similar to that used by the Saudi Ministry of Health for public hospitals.

Bangladesh further underscored the need to explore collaboration with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) to simplify evaluation and licensing processes. It suggested signing an MoU or agreement and forming a joint working group or technical committee to address accreditation and curriculum alignment.

Saudi health officials informed the delegation that a draft agreement had previously been finalised by both sides, prior to the restructuring of the Saudi health sector, and could be revised in line with the new transformation policy.

The meeting also highlighted a significant demand for critical care nurses in Saudi Arabia. Bangladeshi nurses currently serve as technical nurses in general wards under the supervision of independent nurses.

It was noted that the Saudi Ministry of Health is no longer responsible for recruiting health professionals, a role now managed by the Health Holding Company (HHC).

According to the document, mandatory requirements for hiring nurses in both the public and private sectors include the Prometric exam, relevant professional experience, accreditation of qualifications by the Saudi Council of Health, a Saudi nursing licence, and medical error insurance.