Immigration of Pakistani labor workers to the UAE dropped sharply during the first quarter of 2025 (1QCY25), largely due to frequent changes in visa policies, while Saudi Arabia saw a sharp rise, accounting for ~70 percent of total immigration in 1QCY25.
Head of Research at JS Global Waqas Ghani told ProPakistani that the UAE’s share in total labor export has fallen to just 4 percent, a significant drop from its historical average of 35 percent.
If Pakistan succeeds in getting the UAE to ease immigration policies, remittances could see a substantial boost, he added.
Combined with a strengthened framework to curb unofficial channels, remittances from the two countries could potentially contribute over 50 percent of Pakistan’s total remittance inflows going forward (9MFY25 contribution 46 percent).