Pakistan witnessed a mixed trend in its manpower exports during 2025, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar showing a notable surge in demand for Pakistani workers, while exports to the UAE and Oman declined.
According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), manpower exports to Saudi Arabia reached 242,337 in the first half of 2025 (January–July), averaging 40,389 per month. This is a slight increase from the 2024 average of 37,713 per month, when a total of 452,562 workers moved to the kingdom.
Qatar also showed an uptick, receiving 26,448 Pakistani workers in the same period, with a monthly average of 4,408—up from 2023’s average of 3,401, when 40,818 emigrants settled there.
This growth is attributed to mega economic projects and infrastructure development underway in Gulf states, particularly under Vision 2030 initiatives. Experts predict continued demand for foreign labor across the GCC region until at least the end of the decade.
In contrast, manpower exports to the UAE and Oman dropped sharply. Only 13,865 workers moved to the UAE in the first six months of 2025 (2,310 per month), compared to 64,130 in 2024 (5,344 per month). Oman recorded just 8,467 emigrants in 2025, averaging 1,411 monthly, a steep fall from 81,587 in 2024.
Analysts attribute the decline to changes in visa policies, labor law adjustments, and a saturated job market in those two countries. Still, officials believe that improved state-level agreements and skill-based hiring policies could reverse the trend in the latter half of 2025.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s manpower exports to the UK fell, while exports to the USA increased slightly. Only 2,595 workers moved to the UK in H1 2025, compared to 13,695 in 2024. On the other hand, 584 emigrants went to the US in H1 2025, up from 1,077 in all of 2024.
Overall, Pakistan sent 336,442 workers abroad in the first six months of 2025, averaging 56,073 per month—lower than 727,381 in 2024. However, improved partnerships and visa reforms may help bridge the gap in H2 2025.
As per the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), out of $38.3 billion in total remittances in 2024, around $30.5 billion came from the Gulf, the US, and the UK, highlighting the economic importance of labor exports.
