Pakistan’s exports of manpower to various countries had a record upsurge of 134,134 workers in mere the first two months of 2022 after a gradual removal of air restrictions amid the growing demand for workers in the Gulf states.
According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, Pakistani workers who moved to various countries for employment in various categories were an average of 67,067 in each month of 2022 as compared to the average of the monthly exports of workers, that was 11,159 in 2021.
The country’s manpower exports in mere two months of 2022 have exceeded the exports for the entirety of 2021, which was 133,919. According to overseas employment exporters, the employment dynamics for foreign workers in the Middle East are improving as air travel restrictions are being eased and economic activity picks up.
A majority of immigrant workers from Pakistan are being hired again by Gulf-based companies after a gap period in which they were laid off and unable to return to their workplaces due to COVID-19 restrictions. Besides, new workers are also being hired by the companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) that are ready to resume their operations to the pre-COVID-19 levels.
Top Overseas Employment Destinations in January and February 2022
As many as 72,544 Pakistanis moved to the KSA alone to acquire jobs in its different cities, which is 54 percent of the overall manpower exports. Besides, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE were three top destinations for Pakistanis workers during this period as the exports of workers to these countries were 30,281, 14,852, and 10,467 respectively.
The exports of workers to major countries such as the UK and the USA were only 284 and 119 respectively, and those to European countries were largely concentrated in Romania and Spain, with the number of workers receiving employment standings at 234 and 109 respectively.
Other countries in which Pakistanis were employed recently are Kuwait, with 3,194 workers; Iraq, with 271 workers; and South Korea with 199 workers.
Top Native Cities of Exported Workers in 2022
There are 154 cities in Pakistan from which workers moved to various countries for employment, of which DG Khan remains at the top as home to 8,078 workers. It is followed by Sialkot, with 6,308 workers; Gujranwala, with 4,623; and Rawalpindi with 3,894.
The country also exports manpower from remote cities such as Toba Tek Sing, Vehari, Nankana Sahib, Bajour Agency, Malakand, Tharparkar, Gwadar, etc.
Employment Categories
Not surprisingly, most of the manpower exports are in the category of low-skilled and low-paying jobs, which remains a historical trend.
Workers should be appreciated for such jobs but their contribution to the economy in terms of sending remittances is low as compared to the blue and white color jobs which a limited number of Pakistanis have in overseas countries.
Here are the numbers of Pakistanis workers with the various jobs they have recently taken up in different countries:
- 55,971 laborers
- 36,743 drivers
- 5,563 technicians
- 4,796 masons
- 3462 managers
- 3,058 electricians and others
- 1,128 engineers
- 1,928 accountants
- 271 doctors
- 134 teachers and others
Pakistan had beat India and Bangladesh in exporting manpower last year. The significant increase in its manpower exports from Pakistan will enhance the inflows of remittances in the upcoming months, which will have a significant role in the stabilization of the current account of the country.
Future Outlook
Getting a job in Gulf countries has a bright scope for Pakistanis because the demand for foreign workers is high in different markets. On the other hand, the cost of airfare is gradually decreasing due to the removal of air restrictions by different countries that had a mandatory condition of quarantining at a hotel.
Also, the governments of Qatar and the KSA have amended their Kafala systems to facilitate workers to switch jobs and not tie their employment to one firm’s business circumstances. To some extent, these evolving changes in the Gulf states’ labor markets will also be reflected in the data of Pakistanis who opt to travel to the region for work.
Furthermore, mega-events such as the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the Food and Tech Expos in KSA will generate more job opportunities for foreign workers, including Pakistanis.
