Over 450,000 Pakistanis leave country

ISLAMABAD – In the initial seven months of 2023, a staggering count exceeding 450,000 Pakistanis have ventured abroad in pursuit of enhanced employment prospects.

As indicated by data sourced from the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment, a total of 450,110 Pakistani nationals formally enlisted for overseas employments within the preliminary seven months of the current calendar year, spanning up until July.

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A granular dissection of the statistics divulges that, within the aforementioned timeframe, 192,188 of the departing populace primarily comprised laborers, whereas 96,466 individuals undertook the role of drivers in their overseas pursuits. Furthermore, the exodus included 4,705 engineers, 4,431 accountants, 1,925 medical practitioners, and 764 educators.

The data further stratified according to occupational categories, reveals that 12,787 of the departing cohort possessed a high level of qualification, and 26,405 were considerably skilled in their respective fields.

Among the collective emigrants, a notable contingent of 205,515 embarked on journeys to Saudi Arabia, while 121,745 individuals sought prospects in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, 35,637 chose Qatar as their destination, and 34,140 individuals departed Pakistan with Oman as their intended port of settlement. The roster of significant destinations also encompassed Malaysia (16,166), Bahrain (7,441), Greece (2,565), Romania (3,275), and Iraq (2,119).

It remains pertinent to highlight that the data curated by the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment solely pertains to individuals officially registered with the Bureau. Hence, individuals relocating abroad for educational pursuits or via alternative avenues such as direct immigration remain unaccounted for in this tally.

The preceding year witnessed a substantial exodus of 832,339 Pakistanis abroad for employment purposes, constituting the highest magnitude observed since 2016.