Fake work permits jeopardise Bangladeshi workers’ future in Europe

Bangladesh’s labor market in two Eastern European countries — Serbia and North Macedonia — is under threat due to visa applications being submitted with fake work permits.

Recently, the embassies of both countries have detected the use of fraudulent work permits in visa applications. As a result, they have stopped issuing work permits to Bangladeshi workers. The embassies have warned that if such fraud continues, they may completely suspend visa issuance for Bangladeshis.

According to diplomatic sources, around 90% of the work permits submitted by Bangladeshi visa applicants to the North Macedonian embassy have been found to be fake. The same situation exists in Serbia. Both countries have not issued any work permits to Bangladeshis for the past two months. Yet, fake work permits continue to be used in new visa applications. If this continues, the two nations may impose a full ban on work visas for Bangladeshis soon.

Recently, North Macedonian police arrested four members of a Bangladeshi human trafficking gang. Two of them are from Brahmanbaria and one from Sylhet. The matter was discussed at a meeting of the country’s National Security Council, where it was decided that the arrested traffickers would either be imprisoned or deported after trial.