by Mustak Ahmmed /
Upwork Now Accepts Rohingya Refugee Cards in Bangladesh Issued by UNHCR: A New Door for Rohingya Freelancers and Remote Workers
Can Rohingya Refugees Work Professionally on Freelance Platforms?
For years, one of the biggest barriers facing Rohingya youths in the digital world was not talent, education, or willingness to work, it was documentation though yet many Rohingya educated people lack proper productive skills that can lead to real world solutions.
Across the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, many young people have spent years learning digital skills such as web development, graphic design, video editing, digital marketing, translation/interpretation and virtual assistance. Some even managed to work privately with international clients through personal networks. Yet despite having the ability to work remotely, most stayed away from freelance platforms because of lacking national identity for verifications and proper legal documents for banking systems for the Rohingya.
Today, that situation is beginning to change.
After extensive research, communication, and practical testing, it has become clear that Upwork is accepting Rohingya refugee cards issued jointly by the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh for identity verification in certain cases, allowing Rohingya freelancers to create and verify professional accounts on the platform.
This development could become a major turning point from now on for skilled Rohingya remote workers who have long been excluded from the global freelance economy and it’s a big milestone on my mission to fight poverty because Rohingya skilled workers can now work on the freelance platform like Upwork and earn working in global companies despite physical address.
A Longstanding Barrier in the Freelancing Industry
The global freelancing industry has created opportunities for millions of people worldwide. Platforms like Upwork have enabled individuals to work remotely with businesses across different countries without needing traditional office jobs.
However, for refugees and displaced communities, accessing these opportunities has often been difficult and excluded.
Even if you’re highly skilled, you can’t enter the job market on freelance platforms if you lack legal documents such as National ID and Bank accounts. So, many skilled refugees around the world couldn’t access the freelance platforms to work but Upwork has started accepting refugee status cards such as Refugee ID or Asylum documents since July 2022.
What Has Changed?
Recent developments indicate that Rohingya refugee cards issued in Bangladesh can now be accepted during Upwork’s identity verification process.
Additionally, tax-related onboarding systems such as the W-8BEN form for non-US persons can also be managed properly through the platform and IRS compliance procedures.
This means that Rohingya freelancers can now have a legitimate pathway to:
- Create professional Upwork accounts
- Verify their identities
- Complete tax compliance requirements
- Offer services globally
- Build long-term freelance careers online
Importantly, this does not mean that Rohingya freelancers receive special treatment or separate policies. The same rules apply to everyone on the platform because clients don’t see your personal information or your whereabouts but they extremely care about your skills and work experiences along with testimonies so getting work from clients depends on your skills, experiences and testimonies of previous clients.
Every freelancer must still:
- Follow platform policies
- Use genuine information
- Deliver quality work
- Maintain professionalism
- Respect client agreements
- Avoid policy violations
- Follow international compliance standards
Freelancing remains professional work, and success still depends on skills, discipline, consistency, and trust.
Why This Matters for Rohingya Youths
This development is much larger than simply gaining access to a website. Rohingya skilled youths or students are limited and restricted from higher education, employment and many beyond. So, remote work for Rohingya students and professionals is one of the strategic pathways to financial and economic development in the community and lower the risks of human lives in various risks and be able to survive an independent and self reliant life.
Inside the refugee camps, opportunities remain extremely limited. Despite this, hundreds of young people continue learning digital skills through online resources, community initiatives, and local training programs like Visionary Youth Labs Academy. Many are determined to build careers that allow them to support their families and contribute positively to their communities.
Access to freelance platforms can help transform those skills into real economic opportunity.
Remote work allows individuals to:
- Work globally from difficult environments
- Earn independently
- Build international experience
- Develop professional careers
- Reduce dependency on aid
- Support family members through ethical work
In a world increasingly driven by digital services, internet access and skills are becoming powerful tools against poverty.
Building Skills Inside the Refugee Camps
For over 6 years, I, Mustak Ahmmed have been working in the remote work industry with international clients as a Digital Marketer and Web Developer under Visionary Youth Labs. In 2024, I started a skill development initiative at Visionary Youth Labs Academy in the Rohingya Refugee Camp with all required equipment to train practically to young tech enthusiasts from age 14 to 25 as a first priority.
The mission has always been clear: Fight poverty through practical digital skills and remote work opportunities for the Rohingya because I believe this one problem solution can solve other thousands of problems that exist and are increasing in the Rohingya community.
Despite operating in extremely challenging conditions inside the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar including infrastructure limitations, unstable internet access, limited resources, and social/legal barriers, I managed to resolve some of these issues though social/legal security issues still remain uncertain but we never stopped our training programs since we started back in 2024 rather we are increasing our equipment in the lab and increasing the enrollment numbers.
The Fears of the Rohingya Skilled Young People in the Rohingya Refugee Camps
Though many young students have started learning and developing demanding IT skills in the refugee camps by the support from Visionary Youth Labs Academy, Documentation and platform accessibility remained in their heart for long. Many talented learners still believed they had no legitimate way to participate in the global freelance economy due to identity verification restrictions.
But as I have been working for over 6 years without any documents, I managed to work with clients across the United States, Australia and Myanmar through my personal networks and exploring marketing strategies.
So, this was one of the motivations for them that there’s still a way to participate in the global remote opportunities.
But finally as of today, I have already talked and confirmed with several large companies with our legal barriers and now these legal documentation barriers have been solved to over 70% that means we can participate in the global market as a Rohingya with our current documents issued by the UNHCR whether you’re in Bangladesh or Malaysia or anywhere in the world. The acceptance of refugee status might increase in the future soon in my opinion so as a Rohingya, we should not fear the documentation crisis anymore over our future dreams. We have to dream and we have to continue working on the dream but don’t stop because the world values the value you have inside, not for who you are or your whereabouts.
This led me to years of research, direct communication with platform representatives, testing compliance systems, and exploring pathways for refugees to legally work online.
The recent acceptance of Rohingya refugee cards on Upwork represents one of the most meaningful outcomes of that process so far.
The Rise of Rohingya Remote Workers
The digital economy is changing how work happens globally.
Today, companies increasingly hire remotely for services such as digital marketing, web development, AI integration, security, VA and many more.
This shift creates opportunities for skilled individuals regardless of geography.
Within the Rohingya community, there is growing interest in freelancing and remote work because it provides something that many traditional systems cannot: access to a global market based on skills.
There are now Rohingya youths learning advanced digital services, building portfolios, collaborating online, and preparing for international work opportunities despite difficult living conditions.
The potential is enormous. What has been missing is access.
A Step Forward But Not the Final Solution
While this progress is encouraging, challenges still remain. Freelancing is highly competitive, and success requires more than account verification alone.
New freelancers still need:
- Strong technical skills
- Professional communication
- Reliable work ethics
- High-quality portfolios
- Long-term consistency
- Understanding of platform systems
Additionally, broader issues related to financial access, payment systems, internet infrastructure, and digital inclusion continue to affect refugee communities.
However, the ability to legally access a major freelance platform is an important step forward. It creates possibilities where many previously saw none.
The acceptance of Rohingya refugee cards on Upwork in Bangladesh represents more than a technical verification process. For many aspiring freelancers, it symbolizes recognition, inclusion, and access to opportunity.
It sends an important message: “Talent should not be ignored because of circumstance”.
Across the Rohingya refugee camps, there are countless young people working hard to learn modern digital skills and build better futures through ethical remote work.
With the right support, systems, and opportunities, many of them can become successful freelancers, developers, marketers, creators, and entrepreneurs serving clients around the world.
And for a community that has faced years of limitations and uncertainty, even one open door can change many lives.
My Message for Sincere Rohingya Young Generation
If you want to work for the community and bring peace into the community, then please focus on bringing it first into yourself or for yourself because you’re already a part of that community and you are still regarded as one of the strugglers like thousands are struggling.
Develop quality skills in yourself if you want to serve for the community, without skills we can do nothing whatever you say like financial, security, freedom, peace,etc… nothing will come to you if you remain lacked of proper education and skills.
Let our fight start from the financial development by developing quality skills and employing in the global companies remotely.
Wish you all the best!
