A record 727,381 skilled Pakistanis moved abroad for employment in 2024

The Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment (BE&OE), an attached department of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, has sent a record 727,381 skilled workers abroad for employment in 2024. 

According to official data, the majority of these workers have secured jobs in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman, while a significant number have also found employment in European countries. 

The BE&OE attributed this success to aggressive marketing strategies, improved facilitation, and stronger ties with international employers. The increase in overseas employment is expected to boost Pakistan’s remittance inflows, providing a critical source of foreign exchange for the economy while also helping to reduce domestic unemployment. 

In January 2025 alone, remittances surged to $3.0 billion, marking a 25.2% increase compared to January 2024. The UAE and Saudi Arabia played a significant role in this growth, with remittances from the UAE increasing by 52% year-on-year and Saudi Arabia by 24% during the month. The UAE’s share, which averaged 17.5% over the past two fiscal years, has now climbed to 21%, with Dubai accounting for three-fourths of the remittances from the UAE.

The upward trend was also evident in cumulative figures for the first seven months of fiscal year 2025 (FY25). From July to January, remittances reached $20.8 billion, reflecting a 31.7% increase from the $15.8 billion recorded during the same period in FY24.

In the fiscal year 2023-24, Pakistan received $30.3 billion in remittances, reflecting a 10.7% increase from the previous year. This growth was primarily driven by higher inflows from the Middle East, particularly from Pakistani workers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.