Pakistan’s overseas employment trends in 2025 have displayed a mixed picture, with some Gulf states ramping up their intake of Pakistani workers while others are scaling back significantly.
Fresh data from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) reveals that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Qatar have appeared as the strongest growth markets this year. From January to July 2025, more than 242,000 Pakistanis found jobs in Saudi Arabia, averaging over 40,000 placements each month.
It is marking a noticeable increase from last year’s monthly average of nearly 38,000. Analysts are crediting this surge to the ambitious development drive under Saudi Vision 2030, which is generating a steady stream of employment opportunities in construction, services, and technology-related fields.
26,400 Pakistanis moved to Qatar this year
Qatar has also boosted its demand for Pakistani manpower. Over 26,400 Pakistanis moved to Qatar in the first 6 months of 2025, averaging more than 4,400 per month — a strong jump compared to last year’s 3,400 monthly average. Experts link this rise to Doha’s continued infrastructure expansion and preparations for new economic initiatives, which have created space for both skilled and semi-skilled workers.
The situation, however, is not appearing much promising in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Pakistani manpower exports to the UAE fell sharply, with only 13,865 workers moving there in the first half of 2025, if it is compared to more than 64,000 during the same period in the previous period.
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Oman has glanced an even steeper decline, dropping to just 8,467 workers from over 81,000 in 2024. Analysts say the downturn is linked to stricter visa regimes, workforce localization policies, and a slowdown in new hiring as these states push to minimize over-dependence on foreign labor.
UK also showed a dip regarding manpower exports from Pakistan
The United Kingdom also showed a dip, and it is receiving only 2,595 Pakistani workers in the first six months of 2025 versus nearly 13,700 last year. On the other hand, the United States registered a modest increase, attracting 584 Pakistani workers so far compared to 1,077 in the same period of 2024.
Overall, Pakistan sent about 336,442 workers abroad between January and June 2025, averaging just over 56,000 a month. While this figure is lower than last year’s pace, experts are showing optimism. They suggest that if Gulf Cooperation Council countries think of relaxing their visa policies in the second half of the year, the numbers could see a recovery.
Remittances continue to serve as a vital lifeline for Pakistan’s economy. Out of the $38.3 billion sent home by overseas Pakistanis, nearly $30.5 billion came from the Gulf states, the UK, and the US — underscoring the critical role of expatriate workers in supporting the country’s financial stability.