Over 172,000 Pakistanis have left the country to seek work in various countries for Better Jobs in 2025, with a majority heading to the Gulf states. The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) updated statistics revealing that between January and March 2025, 172,144 Pakistani emigrants left the country, averaging 57,381 workers per month.
Saudi Arabia leads the way, receiving more than 121,940 Pakistani workers, making up 70% of the total manpower exports. Other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries also received significant numbers, including Qatar with 12,998, Bahrain with 9,139, and Oman with 8,331. However, the UAE experienced a noticeable decline in workers migrating, with only 6,891 heading to the country. The slowdown is attributed to frequent changes in visa processes and emigration policies, which have affected manpower exports to UAE states like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Ibrahim Amin, a consultant to the banking sector for overseas Pakistanis, recommended establishing a forum with overseas employment promoters, diplomatic missions, and organizations in various countries to clarify the latest employment and visa policies. This forum would primarily focus on the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Amin also proposed creating a system to screen workers migrating to prevent individuals with criminal backgrounds, scammers, or professional beggars from entering these countries. Additionally, he emphasized the need to improve remittance inflows by facilitating expatriate Pakistanis in the GCC to open bank accounts with Pakistani banks in these countries. This would reduce their reliance on informal channels like Hawala and Hundi.
Banking Barriers for Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia and UAE
More than 4.4 million non-resident Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, most blue-collar workers do not own bank accounts, relying on non-banking methods to send money home. Amin pointed out that while several Pakistani banks operate in the region, the lack of regulatory provisions for deposits over 5,000 Dirhams or Riyals is a major barrier to opening bank accounts. He urged commercial banks to improve services for non-resident Pakistanis to facilitate the transfer of remittances through formal channels.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), remittances from Saudi Arabia and the UAE contribute significantly to Pakistan’s economy, averaging over $700 million per month from Saudi Arabia and $600 million from the UAE. Together, these countries account for a large portion of Pakistan’s total remittances, which amount to around $3 billion monthly.
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