Pakistan has sent more than 15.13 million workers overseas since 1971, with 762,499 Pakistanis securing jobs abroad in 2025, according to the latest data released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE).
Saudi Arabia remained the leading destination for Pakistani workers in 2025, employing 530,256 people, nearly 70 percent of the country’s total overseas workforce for the year.
Pakistan’s Overseas Employment by Year
| Year | Workers Sent Abroad |
| 2015 | 946,571 |
| 2016 | 839,353 |
| 2017 | 496,286 |
| 2018 | 382,439 |
| 2019 | 625,876 |
| 2020 | 225,213 |
| 2021 | 288,280 |
| 2022 | 832,339 |
| 2023 | 862,625 |
| 2024 | 727,381 |
| 2025 | 762,499 |
After a significant decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, overseas employment has rebounded strongly, with Pakistan sending more than 700,000 workers abroad each year since 2023.
Top Destinations for Pakistani Workers
| Country | Workers in 2025 | Workers in 2024 | Total Workers (1971–2026) |
| Saudi Arabia | 530,256 | 452,562 | 7,869,916 |
| United Arab Emirates | 52,664 | 64,130 | 4,483,343 |
| Qatar | 68,376 | 40,818 | 488,787 |
| Bahrain | 37,726 | 25,198 | 297,775 |
| Oman | 9,375 | 81,587 | 1,078,102 |
| Kuwait | 6,590 | 1,883 | 199,275 |
Saudi Arabia has employed 7.87 million Pakistanis since 1971, accounting for more than 52 percent of all registered overseas workers. The UAE ranks second with 4.48 million, followed by Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Skill Breakdown of Overseas Workers (2024)
| Skill Category | Number of Workers |
| Unskilled | 366,092 |
| Skilled | 255,706 |
| Semi-Skilled | 56,562 |
| Highly Skilled | 29,434 |
| Highly Qualified | 19,587 |
Pakistan’s overseas workforce continues to be dominated by unskilled and skilled labor, which together account for the vast majority of workers leaving the country for employment.
Top Occupations (2024)
| Occupation | Workers |
| Laborers | 364,574 |
| Drivers | 185,209 |
| Masons | 14,938 |
| Electricians | 10,895 |
| Engineers | 8,018 |
| Doctors | 3,642 |
The Gulf region remains Pakistan’s largest overseas employment market and its biggest source of remittances. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the country received a record $38.3 billion in workers’ remittances during FY2024-25, compared with $30.25 billion a year earlier.
Top Sources of Remittances (FY2024-25)
| Country | Remittances |
| Saudi Arabia | $9.34 billion |
| United Arab Emirates | $7.83 billion |
Together, Saudi Arabia and the UAE contributed more than $17 billion, accounting for nearly half of Pakistan’s total remittance inflows.
Although Pakistanis have migrated to more than 50 countries over the past five decades, the Gulf continues to dominate overseas employment, while destinations outside the region account for less than 5 percent of the country’s registered overseas workforce.
