Over the past 17 years, nearly 10 million Pakistanis have left the country in search of better opportunities abroad, with the highest number of emigrants recorded during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s tenure from 2013 to 2018, according to a report by Pulse Consultant.
The report, titled ‘An Overview of Pakistani Emigration Patterns’, reveals that a total of 9,556,507 Pakistanis have emigrated since 2008. The year 2015 marked the peak of this migration wave, with over 900,000 individuals leaving Pakistan to seek employment opportunities abroad.
However, by 2018, the number of emigrants had sharply declined by 60 percent, with only around 300,000 people departing that year.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on migration trends, causing a temporary dip in numbers. However, as restrictions eased, there was a resurgence in emigration, with around 800,000 Pakistanis leaving the country in both 2022 and 2023.
Also read: Brain Drain: Alarming Increase In Highly Skilled Professionals Leaving Pakistan
Notably, the report highlights a shift in the skill levels of emigrants. Since 2022, the proportion of highly skilled individuals emigrating has increased to 5 percent, compared to the previous rate of 2 percent.
Despite this increase in skilled migration, the majority of those leaving the country in recent years have been blue-collar workers and laborers, with 46 percent being unskilled laborers, up from 41 percent during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s tenure.
The report also notes significant changes in migration destinations and job opportunities. Traditionally, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar have been the top destinations for Pakistani job seekers. However, the post-COVID landscape has seen a notable shift.
The UAE, which was once a top destination, experienced a sharp decline in Pakistani workers, while Saudi Arabia saw substantial growth in the number of Pakistani emigrants.
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