In the first quarter of 2025, more than 172,000 Pakistanis ventured abroad in pursuit of better job opportunities, with a significant majority heading to the Gulf states. Updated data from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) revealed that 172,144 individuals emigrated to over 50 destinations between January and March, averaging around 57,381 departures per month.
Saudi Arabia emerged as the top destination, welcoming 121,940 workers, constituting 70% of total manpower exports. Other prominent Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Qatar (12,998 workers), Bahrain (9,139 workers), and Oman (8,331 workers), also attracted a significant share. Meanwhile, emigration to the United Arab Emirates saw a notable decline to just 6,891 workers, attributed to stricter visa policies and regulatory changes.
Ibrahim Amin, a consultant focusing on overseas Pakistani employment, emphasized the need for forums involving employment promoters, diplomatic missions, and international organizations to disseminate accurate visa and job market information, particularly for those aspiring to work in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He further advocated for mechanisms to screen migrant workers to prevent the entry of individuals involved in professional begging or with criminal backgrounds.
Highlighting the importance of remittances, Amin stressed that better facilitation for expatriates could substantially increase inflows, with projections exceeding $1 billion monthly from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He urged banks and regulators to simplify account opening processes for overseas workers, addressing the reliance on informal channels like Hawala and Hundi. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances from these two countries currently contribute over $1.3 billion monthly to a total of $3 billion. Despite the presence of Pakistani banks in these regions, high deposit requirements remain a significant barrier for many blue-collar workers. Enhanced efforts to shift remittance flows to formal banking channels could offer immense benefits to both expatriates and Pakistan’s economy.