Here’s How Many Pakistanis Officially Left the Country in 2024

The immigration of workers from Pakistan to different countries surprisingly decreased to 0.727 million (727,381) in 2024, which is less than 15 percent (135,244) of the preceding year 2023, when 862,625 workers of various skills and trades migrated abroad, according to data released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE). More than 62 percent (452,562 workers) migrated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2024. Oman followed as the second major destination, receiving 81,587 workers from Pakistan, replacing the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE attracted 64,130 professionals from Pakistan in various fields during 2024. Other GCC countries, such as Qatar and Bahrain, also received 40,818 and 25,198 Pakistani workers, respectively. These countries carried out the hiring process for Pakistani professionals in 2024, with some establishing centers to facilitate workers with visa policies and job placements. Additionally, 13,695 Pakistani professionals moved to the UK, while 1,077 migrated to the USA, according to the data released by the bureau. The majority of workers migrating to different countries are employed in blue-collar jobs, including laborers (364,574) and drivers (185,209), which together account for over 75% of manpower exports. Additionally, 3,642 doctors and 8,018 engineers left Pakistan for better job opportunities, according to the BEOE. In Europe and other countries, there is no requirement to register with the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) for immigration or employment purposes. Many individuals directly apply for jobs or visas through private agents, recruitment agencies, or personal connections, bypassing the official registration process. As a result, these individuals are not included in the official data maintained by the bureau, which means the actual number of emigrants may be significantly higher than reported. Additionally, those living abroad illegally or overstaying their visas are also not accounted for in the official statistics. Many people travel on tourist visas and later settle or work in foreign countries without proper documentation. These undocumented workers form a substantial portion of the migrant population, but their numbers remain unrecorded, further underestimating the true scale of emigration from Pakistan. The actual number of emigrants may also be higher because countries like the UAE and other Middle Eastern nations imposed restrictions on hiring in 2024. This hiring freeze was primarily due to economic challenges, fluctuating oil prices, and policies aimed at prioritizing local workers. These restrictions significantly impacted the number of workers migrating to the Gulf region, which has traditionally been a major destination for Pakistani labor. Despite the slowdown in hiring in the Middle East, there has been an increase in migration to Europe and North America, where skilled professionals and students are seeking better opportunities. These individuals are often drawn by higher salaries, better living standards, and more stable economies. However, many of these migrants are not captured in the official data, as they do not go through the BEOE registration process. Remittance inflows from these overseas workers have significantly improved in the current financial year, with projections suggesting they will reach $35 billion by the end of the year. This increase is attributed to several factors, including the migration of workers, stability in the local currency against major currencies, incentives for banks and currency agents, and the adoption of technological solutions. The lack of comprehensive data on undocumented workers and those who bypass official channels highlights the challenges in accurately assessing the scale of emigration from Pakistan. This gap in data not only underestimates the number of Pakistanis working abroad but also impacts the understanding of their contribution to the economy through remittances.