South Asian governments should look east for opportunities for young workers

What does it mean for South Asian governments to “look east” for young workers?

“Looking east” means building labor markets in Southeast Asia alongside the traditional Gulf routes. South Asian governments would identify employers, negotiate worker protections, prepare migrants, and create legal recruitment channels for countries such as Thailand. The goal is diversification, not abandoning the Gulf.

Thailand already imports workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Border tensions with Cambodia have disrupted one of its four traditional labor corridors, increasing the need to find other sources. Bangladesh is responding by pursuing a formal labor arrangement with Thailand.

Pakistan has not yet made a comparable push, although the same demographic opportunity applies. New eastern corridors could give young workers more choices and reduce dependence on one destination region. Success would require more than technical training. Language, cultural understanding, contracts, and fair recruitment costs would also matter.

How many young people could Pakistan and Bangladesh potentially provide to overseas labor markets?

Pakistan and Bangladesh together have a youth population of roughly 260 million. That is so large it would rank as the world’s fifth-largest country if counted as a separate nation. This represents a potentially important labor supply for aging or labor-importing economies.

Pakistan contributes around 160 million people under thirty. Gen Z alone numbers about 80 million. Bangladesh has a similar pattern, with roughly half its population under thirty. These figures show the scale of available human capital, although not every young person would migrate or immediately qualify for overseas work.

The opportunity depends on policy. Governments must build recruitment channels, provide useful technical and soft-skills training, and protect workers abroad. Without jobs at home or abroad, a youth bulge can fuel unemployment and unrest. With effective connections to foreign labor demand, it can support workers, families, and national economies.

Why are Japan, South Korea, and Thailand increasingly looking abroad for workers?

Japan and South Korea are moving toward super-aged societies. Their working-age populations are under pressure, while demand remains for caregivers and factory workers. Thailand has gone further: it has become a labor-importing country. These countries increasingly need workers from abroad because domestic labor supplies are not enough.

Thailand illustrates the mechanism clearly. It relies on workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. But increased demand and border tensions with Cambodia have disrupted one of its four traditional labor corridors. Thailand therefore needs additional sources, including possible recruitment from Bangladesh and potentially Pakistan.

This shift creates an opening for South Asian countries with very young populations. It does not guarantee employment for every young person. Governments still need to match skills with vacancies, negotiate fair terms, and prepare migrants for local language and workplace culture. Effective planning can turn demographic differences into mutually useful labor partnerships.

What labor agreement are Bangladesh and Thailand working toward, and how would recruitment be organized?

Bangladesh and Thailand are moving toward an agreement that would create a structured labor corridor. It would cover recruitment through Bangladesh’s state-run employment agency, employer-borne costs, and standard contracts written in workers’ own language. These rules aim to make migration clearer and safer.

The process advanced in mid-August, when a Thai Senate delegation met Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister in Dhaka. Reports said both sides had effectively agreed on the agreement’s shape and were moving toward formalization. Bangladesh’s officials treated the opportunity as a priority.

The arrangement matters because organized recruitment can reduce confusion and excessive worker charges. Clear contracts can explain pay and responsibilities before departure. It can also help Thailand access workers when existing supply routes are strained. The article presents Bangladesh’s progress as a model Pakistan could pursue, since Pakistan has not made a comparable effort toward Thailand.

What could happen to workers, employers, and both countries’ economies if new labor corridors to Southeast Asia succeed?

Successful labor corridors could benefit all sides. Workers would gain legal access to overseas jobs. Employers would gain a larger, more reliable workforce. Pakistan and Bangladesh could increase remittances and make better use of their young populations. Thailand could reduce its dependence on a few neighboring labor sources.

The key mechanism is an organized pathway, not migration alone. State agencies, employers, and governments would need to agree on recruitment, costs, contracts, training, and worker protections. Preparing migrants in technical skills and everyday cultural expectations would improve their chances of keeping jobs and working well with local communities.

The article does not promise automatic success. Poor follow-through, unclear contracts, or weak preparation could undermine the opportunity. But deliberate corridors could diversify South Asian migration beyond the Gulf and help Thailand respond to labor shortages. Over time, stronger links could support families through remittances and deepen economic ties between the countries.

Why might Southeast Asian labor markets offer South Asian workers an important alternative to the traditional Gulf destinations?

Southeast Asian labor markets offer an important alternative because South Asian migration has long been concentrated in the Gulf. The Gulf will remain the largest market, but relying on one region leaves workers and governments with fewer choices. New destinations can spread opportunity across several labor corridors.

The article identifies two advantages. South Asian workers may face less competition from other labor-sending countries in Southeast Asia than in the Gulf. The author also says Thai employers and communities generally have a reputation for treating foreign workers more decently than some alternatives. Thailand’s own labor shortage strengthens this potential match.

This alternative does not replace Gulf employment. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Middle Eastern economies still provide a large share of remittances to Pakistan and Bangladesh. Instead, looking east could add resilience and bargaining options. Governments would need to negotiate fair contracts and prepare workers for local language, food, manners, hygiene, and workplace expectations.

How can a large working-age population become a demographic dividend rather than a source of unemployment and unrest?

A demographic dividend occurs when a large working-age population strengthens an economy instead of overwhelming it. Young people become an asset when they can obtain skills, secure jobs, earn incomes, and support families. Their work can raise productivity and generate remittances, taxes, and wider economic activity.

The article shows one route through overseas employment. Pakistan and Bangladesh can connect young workers with aging or labor-importing countries such as Thailand. Training should include technical abilities and soft skills, including local language, courtesy, hygiene, road discipline, and workplace etiquette. These details can shape whether workers succeed after arrival.

The opportunity is not automatic. Unemployment and underemployment can produce restless cities and sudden revolt, as recently seen in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Governments therefore need action, not just demographic statistics: build legal labor corridors, negotiate protections, and prepare workers properly. If they do, youth can become a strategic economic asset rather than a source of instability.

Key Facts:

📌 Looking east means developing Southeast Asian labor corridors.

📌 Thailand needs alternatives after disruption along a Cambodian labor route.

📌 Pakistan has not yet matched Bangladesh’s diplomatic push.

📌 Pakistan and Bangladesh have about 260 million young people combined.

📌 Pakistan has roughly 160 million people under thirty.

📌 Pakistan’s Gen Z population alone is about 80 million.

📌 Japan and South Korea are becoming super-aged societies.