Pakistan registered 427,435 workers for overseas employment in the first nine months of 2026, according to official figures from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), with annualised projections indicating that outflows remain substantial despite easing from post-pandemic highs. Pakistan registered 763,526 workers for overseas employment in 2025, compared with a peak of 862,625 in 2023.
The annualised pace in 2026 suggests the country remains on course to maintain migration levels broadly in line with those seen over the past decade. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to attract the majority of Pakistani workers, although recent months have seen shifts in destination patterns.
Registrations for Oman and Qatar have declined significantly from previous highs, while European and other non-traditional destinations have attracted growing interest. Overseas employment has followed a wave-like pattern over the past eight years, shaped by global economic shocks, post-pandemic labour demand and changing regional policies.
In 2018, registrations stood at 382,439, reflecting a pre-pandemic baseline amid tighter regional regulations and economic adjustments in Gulf countries. Global travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused registrations to fall to 225,213 in 2020.
They recovered modestly to 288,280 in 2021 as economies reopened, and pent-up demand for labour drove a sharp rebound in subsequent years. Registrations rose to 832,339 in 2022 and peaked at 862,625 in 2023, before easing to 728,509 in 2024, maintaining solid long-term migration trends.