Islamabad: a significant number of Pakistani have looked for job possibilities abroad during the first three months of 2025, the Office of Immigration publishing figures indicating that 172,144 people ventured abroad during this period.
Saudi Arabia has become the main destination of Pakistani workers, attracting the greatest number of job seekers at 121,190. Oman followed second place because it saw 8,331 Pakistanis looking for a job, while the United Arab Emirates welcomed 6,891.
Qatar has also proven to be a popular choice, with 12,989 Pakistanis finding work there, and Bahrain saw an influx of 939 Pakistani workers.
Other notable destinations included the United Kingdom (1,454), Turkiye (870), Greece (815), Malaysia (775), China (592), Azerbaijan (350), Germany (264), the United States (257), Italy (109) and Japan (108).
In a ventilation of the professions of those who obtained jobs abroad, 99,139 people were classified as general workers.
Among the qualified work, 38,274 were drivers, 1,859 masons, 2,130 electricians, 1,689 cooks, 3,474 technicians and 1,058 welders.
The emigration of professionals was also important, with 849 doctors and 1,479 engineers looking for opportunities abroad. In addition, 390 nurses and 436 teachers were among those who obtained jobs in foreign countries during the first quarter of the year.
Previously, data from the European Union for Asylum Agency (EUAA) showed that up to 28,000 Pakistani nationals requested international protection in the EU + between October 2023 and October 2024.
Statistics showed that asylum applications culminated in October 2023, the number reaching approximately 3,400 – the figures since then reflected a trajectory down to be at 1,900 requests in October 2024.
EU statistics should be taken separately, because illegal human smuggling channels are also used by Pakistanis to reach Europe.
