In 2023, over 450,000 Pakistani nationals sought employment opportunities abroad in pursuit of better financial prospects, continuing trend witnessed in comparison to 2022.
In the first seven months of 2023, from January to July, the trend continued, with 450,110 Pakistanis leaving their home country to explore job opportunities overseas.
Saudi Arabia remained the primary choice for Pakistani migrant workers this year, with 205,515 individuals selecting the kingdom as their new workplace, closely followed by the UAE, which attracted 121,745 migrant workers.
Other Gulf states, including Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain, also received significant numbers of Pakistani workers, while countries like Malaysia and China also recorded arrivals from Pakistan.
Pakistan Economic Survey 2022-23, a substantial portion of these overseas jobseekers, approximately 62 percent, totaling 514,725 individuals, chose Saudi Arabia while 15.5 percent, opted for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).