Shifting Trends in Pakistan’s Overseas Workforce

A new report indicates a notable shift in the destinations for Pakistan’s overseas workforce. The first quarter of 2025 witnessed a substantial decrease in the number of Pakistani workers emigrating to the UAE. This decline is reportedly due to modifications in the visa regulations implemented by the Emirati government.

Conversely, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a prominent destination for Pakistani workers during this period, according to a report released on Tuesday by JS Global, a brokerage firm.

The report stated, “The emigration of workers to the UAE experienced a sharp drop during 1QCY25, primarily as a result of frequent alterations in visa procedures and policies. This led to a slowdown in manpower exports to all states within the UAE.”

“In contrast, Saudi Arabia has observed a significant increase, now accounting for 70% of the total emigration in 1QCY25,” the report further noted, referencing data provided by Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment.

The report reveals that the UAE’s share has decreased to a mere 4%, a considerable reduction from its historical average of 35%, highlighting a distinct change in emigration patterns.

The UAE is a significant trade ally and a leading source of remittances for Pakistan, which are crucial for the country’s economy.

While officials from both countries maintain that there is no formal prohibition on UAE visas for Pakistanis, various reports in recent months have suggested increased scrutiny and a higher rate of visa rejections by UAE authorities for Pakistani applicants.

In a recent positive development, the UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, announced last week that Pakistanis can now obtain five-year visas following the resolution of “existing issues.”

JS Global commented, “Should Pakistan secure more relaxed emigration processes from the UAE, considering its historically large contribution to annual manpower exports, remittance inflows could experience a considerable surge.”

“Coupled with a reinforced system to control unofficial channels and consistent inflows from both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, remittances from these two nations could potentially contribute over 50% of Pakistan’s total remittance inflows moving forward,” the report added.

Data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) indicated that Pakistan received a record $4.1 billion in remittances from overseas workers in March 2025. This marks the first time that remittances have surpassed the $4 billion mark.

Remittances saw a 37% increase compared to the $2.95 billion recorded in the same month of the previous year. On a month-over-month basis, remittances rose by 30% compared to the $3.12 billion recorded in February.