Pakistan records 25% drop in overseas workers, $40bn remittances at risk

KARACHI (Staff Report): Pakistan has recorded a 25 percent decline in the number of workers travelling abroad for employment during the first ten months of 2026, raising concerns over the sustainability of the country’s remittance inflows, which are estimated at around $40 billion.

Former Chairman of the Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA), Asad Hafeez Kiyani, has warned that the continued decline in overseas employment could put Pakistan’s annual remittance earnings at risk next year.

According to the figures shared by Kiyani, only 476,240 Pakistanis travelled abroad for employment between January and October 2026, compared with 636,270 during the corresponding period last year. This represents a decline of 160,030 workers, or approximately 25.2 percent.

Kiyani said the number of Pakistanis going abroad for employment had been declining, while the trend was also raising concerns about the country’s future remittance inflows.

He attributed the declining overseas employment opportunities partly to restrictions and difficulties in major Gulf labour markets, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which he claimed were already largely closed to Pakistani workers.

He further pointed to government policies and complicated recruitment procedures as factors contributing to a decline in Pakistani manpower placement in Saudi Arabia, one of the country’s major overseas employment destinations.

Kiyani warned that if the situation continued, Pakistan’s approximately $40 billion in annual remittances could face serious risks in 2027.

Remittances remain a major source of foreign exchange for Pakistan, supporting the country’s external account and helping meet its foreign currency requirements.

He urged the government to take up the issue through diplomatic channels with Middle Eastern and European countries to address barriers facing Pakistani workers and expand overseas employment opportunities.

He also called for improvements in government procedures and policies to facilitate recruitment and overseas manpower placement.

Meanwhile, the Overseas Employment Promoters Association warned that the continued decline in workers travelling abroad could severely affect the business of recruitment agencies and employment promoters.

Kiyani cautioned that if the current trend persisted, the overseas employment promotion industry itself could face a serious crisis, alongside the potential impact on Pakistan’s remittance earnings.