More than 727,000 Pakistanis registered for overseas employment in 2024, with a majority heading to Saudi Arabia, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25 released by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday.
The Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment and the Overseas Employment Corporation reported that 452,562 workers , over 62 per cent of the total, went to Saudi Arabia. Oman hired 11 per cent of the total workforce, while the UAE accounted for 9 per cent, employing 64,130 Pakistanis. Qatar hired 40,818 workers (6 per cent), followed by Bahrain with 25,198 (3 per cent) and Malaysia with 5,790 (1 per cent).
Punjab accounted for the largest share of emigrant workers, sending over 404,000 people abroad. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed with 187,103, while Sindh and the former tribal areas contributed 60,424 and 29,937 workers respectively.
The migration data reflects a broader trend among developing economies, where large segments of the labour force seek better pay and living conditions overseas. While concerns about brain drain persist, Pakistan’s government has been less focused on retaining talent than on capitalising on remittances.
The majority of Pakistani workers going abroad remain in low-skilled or unskilled categories. In 2024, 50 per cent of registered emigrants were unskilled, while 35 per cent were classified as skilled workers. Mid- to high-skilled professionals continued to make up a smaller fraction of those going abroad.
Despite a modest decline from the previous year, demand for unskilled labour remained high, particularly in construction, agriculture, and domestic work.
Meanwhile, Pakistan missed its economic growth target for the fiscal year. The country posted a GDP growth rate of 2.7 per cent, falling short of the 3.6 per cent target, the survey showed. The unemployment rate was not provided in the report.
Separately, Fiel Marshal Syed Asim Munir earlier this year pushed back against concerns over brain drain. Speaking at a diaspora convention, he referred to the global Pakistani community as a “brain gain” rather than a loss, highlighting the overseas population’s growing contribution to the country’s economy and image.
Pakistan’s population reached 241.5 million in 2023, growing at 2.55 per cent annually, according to census data. Males make up 51.5 per cent of the population and females 48.5 per cent. More than half the population (53.8 per cent) is within the working-age bracket of 15 to 59 years, while 26 per cent falls in the 15 to 29 age group, presenting both challenges and opportunities for future economic planning.
