Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has formally launched a nationwide registration initiative for overseas employment, marking a major milestone in the government’s efforts to create legal and regulated job opportunities for Afghan citizens abroad.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the Ministry announced the signing of a landmark agreement between a state-affiliated company in Qatar and private employment agencies in Afghanistan, paving the way for the deployment of Afghan workers under a state-monitored framework.

The initial phase of the program will see 700 job opportunities made available for Afghan nationals in Qatar.

The registration process for these positions will commence soon and will be directly overseen by the ministry’s Department of Labor Deployment. Officials emphasized that the process will be conducted in line with international labor standards, ensuring job security, transparency, and protection for Afghan workers abroad.

“This is a significant step toward combating illegal migration and labor exploitation,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Our priority is to provide Afghan workers with legal pathways to employment overseas, while safeguarding their rights and dignity.”

The Ministry urged citizens to engage only with officially approved recruitment centers, warning against reliance on unverified intermediaries or unauthorized agents — a common avenue for exploitation and fraud in previous years.

The new initiative aims to address rising unemployment in Afghanistan and to ensure that Afghans seeking work abroad do so through legitimate, state-sanctioned channels. Officials said the program also seeks to improve the country’s remittance inflow while offering labor protections in coordination with host nations.

Further information on eligibility requirements, application procedures, and designated recruitment centers will be released in upcoming public announcements, the Ministry added.

Afghanistan has one of the world’s youngest populations, with a growing demand for employment opportunities amid a fragile economy and ongoing humanitarian challenges. Labor migration, if properly regulated, is seen as a vital source of income and stability for many Afghan families.

This new overseas employment initiative is part of broader efforts by the Afghan government to formalize labor export policies and enhance international labor partnerships, beginning with the Gulf region.