In 2024, more than 663,186 Pakistanis left the country to seek employment abroad.

 Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis failed to achieve target of overseas employment opportunities for Pakistanis in 2024, report says

Sunday 29 December 2024

Karachi (UrduPoint News International / Pakistan Point News - NNI. 29th December, 2024) The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis has failed to achieve the target of employment opportunities abroad for Pakistanis in the year 2024 and, against the target of 1 million, around 700,000 Pakistanis found employment abroad legally. This is not only less than the target but also more or less one to one and a half lakh less than in the year 2023.

According to the data of the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment, more than 663,186 Pakistanis left the country in 2024 to seek employment abroad legally. According to the bureau, the number of Pakistanis who went abroad to seek employment legally in 2023 was 862,625. Even if those expected to leave in December are included, there is a possibility of one to one and a half lakh fewer jobs than last year.

At a time when the economic situation in the country is not enviable and a large number of Pakistanis are striving to go abroad, despite this, not achieving the target of finding jobs abroad is not only a challenge for the Ministry of Overseas, but an even bigger challenge is that despite all the prayers and efforts, the Ministry of Overseas has not been able to achieve its share in other countries of the world, except for the Gulf countries.

In the year 2024, out of the approximately seven hundred thousand people who legally found employment abroad, more than 90 percent went to six Gulf countries, while the remaining ten percent found employment in other 48 countries. Like every year, this time too, Saudi Arabia hosted and provided jobs to one and a half million Pakistanis out of seven hundred thousand, which accounts for sixty percent of the total number of those who went abroad.

Around 70,000 Pakistanis found employment in the United Arab Emirates, 75,000 in Oman, 40,000 in Qatar, 25,000 in Bahrain and around 2,000 in Kuwait. In addition, 17,000 people found jobs in the UK, around 6,000 in Malaysia, 6,500 in Iraq, 1,500 in Romania and 1,000 in some other countries. Despite all efforts, the target could not be achieved and the number remained lower than last year due to the increasing demand for workers trained abroad.

According to Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Dr. Arshad Mahmood, the demand for skilled workforce is increasing in the labor market around the world. Those who have skills or receive professional education are getting jobs in countries around the world for four to six thousand dollars per month, while the salaries of unskilled workers are not that high. On the other hand, thousands of Pakistani immigrants try to reach Europe illegally every year.

From 2021 to 2023, 154,205 illegal Pakistani immigrants were deported. Hundreds have lost their lives trying to enter Europe illegally. No Pakistani institution knows the final number of Pakistanis living abroad illegally, but various estimates are made in this regard, which cannot be verified by any forum.