More than 740,000 Pakistanis legally migrated to other countries for employment during the current year, diplomatic sources said, marking an increase from 727,000 workers who went abroad last year.
Despite the rise in overseas employment, incidents of forced offloading of passengers from outbound flights remained a major concern this year, even in cases where travellers possessed complete and valid documents, sources said.
According to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources, a total of 344,938 overseas job opportunities were available during the year. Of these, 195,963 positions were filled, while 148,975 employment opportunities are still available under the ministry’s framework.
Official data shows that in the first 15 days of December 2025 alone, 37,201 individuals registered themselves for overseas employment. Overall, according to figures available up to November 2025, a total of 6,186,292 people registered legally for employment abroad during the year.
The data further indicates that a large proportion of those registered were unskilled workers, numbering around 420,000. Only 2,731 were classified as skilled workers, while 13,451 were highly skilled and 15,359 were highly qualified, highlighting a continued imbalance in workforce composition.
Sources said complaints of forced offloading at airports persisted throughout the year, prompting government intervention. On Tuesday, the prime minister constituted a 14-member committee comprising cabinet members to address the issue. The committee will operate under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
The committee has been tasked with proposing measures for the online issuance and renewal of the Protector of Immigrants stamp, reviewing immigration clearance arrangements, and addressing other procedural hurdles faced by overseas job seekers. It is expected to present its action plan and recommendations in January.
Meanwhile, sources said an AI-based immigration system will be installed at Islamabad Airport next month. The system aims to curb the use of fake travel documents and prevent illegal departures to foreign countries, improving transparency and efficiency in immigration processes.
Reporter: Anwer Abbas