Each year, between 13,000 to 15,000 Pakistani students head to the United Kingdom, not just to pursue higher education but with aspirations of building a permanent life abroad, a Foreign Office (FO) official revealed to the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis on Friday.
The official, while briefing Senator Zeeshan Khanzada and fellow committee members, stated that a significant number of Pakistani students, after completing their studies, decide to stay in the UK, often entering the local labor market by taking up minimum wage jobs.
These roles they most find frequently in sectors like hospitality, retail and caregiving transport—industries that have long depended on immigrant labor to sustain their operations.
A Life Between Two Worlds
The journey from student to immigrant is one of ambition and compromise. While many are looking for better professional opportunities for growth or better salaries and stability, they often encounter linguistic and cultural barriers.
“Limited English proficiency is the huge a challenge for many Pakistani that they have to face in abroad,” the FO representative said, adding that integration into British society can be slow and isolating, specifically for those coming from rural or less privileged backgrounds.
Today, it’s estimated that nearly 1.8 million Pakistani individuals living in the United Kingdom.
What It Means for the UK
These incoming students contribute heavily to the
- Education sector
- Local economies
- Labor markets
Read more: UK launches eVisa for Pakistani students and workers
However, rising immigration figures have become the cause of triggering political tension, particularly after Brexit and recent local elections where immigration was a hot-button issue. In response, British officials have hinted for stricter visa policies for countries like Pakistan, stating the huge concerns over asylum applications and net migration levels.
The UK continues to strengthen ties with Pakistan despite the huge pressures. Recent developments, such as the introduction of e-visas and Pakistan’s removal from the UK’s Air Safety List, displays efforts to facilitate more structured mobility and bilateral cooperation.
A Mixed Blessing for Pakistan
Indeed, overseas Pakistanis sent back billions in remittances, but the trend of students settling abroad is the clear indication of brain drain. Talented youth, trained in prestigious global institutions, often do not return, depriving Pakistan of the intelligent minds that are highly crucial to drive
- Innovation
- Governance
- Progress
Ultimately, the migration of young Pakistanis to the UK is a story of opportunity and loss—like in this case thousands of people will be capable of achieving their goals, but this resultantly leads to the deepening of national challenges.