By Muhammad Faisal Kaleem
ISLAMABAD– Over 2 million Pakistanis have secured jobs abroad over the past three years.
According to the data compiled by the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BIOE) — an attached department of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development — 2,036,511 Pakistanis got jobs in over 20 countries from 2023 to August 2025.
The countries where Pakistanis got employment include the United Arab Emirates (UEA), Oman, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, the UK, Australia, Kuwait, Republic of Türkiye, Greece, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Romania, and the United States.
As per data, 859,762 Pakistanis got jobs in these countries in 2023, 725,613 in 2024, and 451,136 in 2025 (till August).
The Bureau’s registered data of Pakistani workers fluctuated across more than 20 countries over the past three years, with increases in some years and decreases in others.
This indicates that there has been no consistent pattern of growth or decline.
Employment in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia tops the list, with 1.192676 million people registered with the BOIE for jobs, including 426,586 in 2023, 452,373 in 2024, and 313,717 people in 2025 (till August).
Employment in UAE and Oman
The KSA is followed by the UAE with registration of 319,933 Pakistanis, including 229,880 workers in 2023, 65,992 in 2024, and 23,861 in 2025 (till August).
Oman is the third country where a large number of overseas Pakistanis got jobs. A total of 150,183 workers registered for jobs, including 60,040 in 2023, 81,590 in 2024, and 8,553 in 2025 (till August).
Employment in China, Qatar, and Japan
The People’s Republic of China granted jobs to 5,105 Pakistanis, including 1,794 in 2023, 1,886 in 2024, and 1,425 in 2025 (till August).
Qatar also has a significant number of Pakistanis registered with the BIOE for jobs. A total of 134,523 Pakistani nationals got jobs there, including 55,104 in 2023, 40,813 in 2024, and 38,606 in 2025 (till August).
Japan employed a total of 4,539 Pakistanis, including 1,143 in 2023, 1,610 in 2024, and 1,786 in 2025 (till August).
Employment in Bahrain, Iraq, UK, and Australia
Similarly, a total of 51,314 Pakistanis registered with the BIOE for Bahrain, including 1,339 in 2023, 25,194 in 2024, and 24,781 in 2025 (till August).
Iraq granted jobs to 15,050 Pakistanis, including 4,307 in 2023, 6,650 in 2024, and 4,093 in 2025 (till August). As many as 33,439 people got jobs in the UK, including 16,449 in 2023, 13,695 in 2024, and 3,295 in 2025 (till August).
According to the BIOE, 8,332 Pakistani nationals secured jobs in Australia, including 2,361 in 2023, 3,174 in 2024, and 2,797 in 2025 (till August).
Employment in Kuwait, Türkiye, Greece, Malaysia, and Kyrgyzstan
The Bureau’s data further stated that 8,514 Pakistanis were hired for different jobs in Kuwait, including 1,456 in 2023, 988 in 2024, and 6,070 in 2025 (till August).
In Türkiye, a total of 4,797 Pakistanis got jobs, including 800 in 2023, 1,557 in 2023 and 2,440 in 2025 (till August). Likewise, 6,428 Pakistanis were hired in Greece, including 2,914 in 2023, 1,487 in 2024, and 2,027 in 2025 (till August).
As many as 28,695 people were hired in Malaysia, including 20,901 in 2023, 5,819 in 2014, and 1,975 in 2025 (till August).
In Kyrgyzstan, a total of 7,960 Pakistanis were employed, including 1,851 in 2023, 4,281 in 2024, and 1,828 in 2025 (till August).
Employment in Cyprus, Azerbaijan, and Romania
In the Mediterranean Jewel Cyprus, a total of 5,216 Pakistanis got jobs, including 2,892, 1,172, and 1,152 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 (till August), respectively.
In Azerbaijan, a total of 2,254 Pakistanis got jobs, including 138, 844, and 1,272 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 (till August), respectively.
The data further shows that around 7,124 Pakistani citizens secured jobs in Romania, including 4,947 in 2023, 1,357 in 2024, and 820 in 2025 (till August).
Employment in the United States and Other Countries
A total of 2,778 people were granted jobs in the US, including 909 in 2023, 1,177 in 2024, and 692 in 2025 (till August).
Moreover, 35,881 Pakistanis got jobs in other countries during the period.
Types of Jobs Secured Abroad
Of these skilled and unskilled workers, around 25.5 percent were drivers, 24 percent general workers, 25.4 percent laborers, while about 25 percent of Pakistanis obtained jobs in other skilled professions, including manager, supervisor, mason, salesman, electrician, mechanic, cook, technician, engineer, operator, barber, accountant, carpenter, doctor, welder, and fitter.
The total number of laborers or helpers was 184,643 in 2024 and 135,482 in 2025. In the general worker category, the total was 173,963 in 2024 and 130,918 in 2025. The EOBI registered 185,107 drivers in 2024 and 97,719 in 2025.
Moreover, the number of managers was 23,674 in 2024 and 6,190 in 2025. The total number of foremen/supervisors was 10,693 in 2024 and 7,521 in 2025. Similarly, 14,584 masons were employed in 2024 and 3,417 in 2025.
A total of 17,900 salesmen were employed, with 12,075 in 2024 and 5,825 in 2025. The total number of electricians was 15,795, including 10,895 in 2024 and 4,900 in 2025. Similarly, 8,907 mechanics got jobs in 2024, and 3,528 in 2025.
The total number of Pakistanis employed as cooks was 112,010, with 7,925 registered in 2024 and 4,085 in 2025. A total of 11,795 engineers were employed during the period, with 8,015 registered in 2024 and 3,780 in 2025.
The total number of operators registered with the Board was 10,514, with 6,455 getting jobs in 2024 and 4,059 in 2025. Similarly, 5,807 Pakistanis were employed as barbers in 2024 and 2,883 in 2025.
The total number of Pakistanis employed as accountants was 7,915, including 4,779 in 2024 and 3,136 in 2025. A total of 5,119 nationals were employed as carpenters in 2024, and 2,585 in 2025.
The number of doctors among others was 3,625 in 2024 and 2,620 in 2025, of welders 4,023 in 2024, and 2,041 in 2025, of fitters 4,307 in 2024, and 1,575 in 2025. Likewise, as many as 43,441 and 24,517 nationals were recruited in 2024 and 2025, respectively in some other professions.
In Fiscal Year 2024-25, the remittance generated by overseas Pakistanis was USD 38 billion.