All Saudi Arabia-bound BMET smart card holder expatriates to get quarantine subsidy

The government has decided to give a subsidy of Tk25,000 to all Saudi Arabia-bound expatriates with a Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) smart card and registered with the Earners’ Welfare Board to help them meet their hotel quarantine expenses in the Gulf country.

The money will be sent to the bank accounts of the expatriate workers or their representatives of choice, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment said in a press release on Thursday.

Mohammad Rasheduzzaman, assistant personal secretary to the expatriates' welfare minister, said the provision would help reduce the financial burden on Saudi Arabia-bound migrants.

The government earlier said migrant workers who were travelling or had already travelled to the Middle Eastern country would be eligible for the financial assistance.

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The ministry later revised that decision and included new workers going to the kingdom country as well.

On May 10, the authorities in Saudi Arabia imposed a new travel advisory that said all non-citizens traveling to Saudi Arabia who had not been vaccinated against Covid-19 must quarantine for a minimum of seven days. The order came into effect on May 20, according to media reports.

Application forms for the government subsidy can be downloaded from the websites of the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, the Earners’ Welfare Board and the BMET.

Necessary forms are available at the Probashi Kallyan Desks set up at the three international airports in the country as well.

Migrant workers have to submit the applications along with photocopies of their emigration clearance cards, the first four pages of their passports, visas, plane tickets and hotel booking receipts.