Some 85,000 people left Karachi for employment abroad between January and September 30 this year, with professionals from 63 occupations among them, according to available figures.
Laborers and support staff made up the largest group, at 32,626 people. Drivers followed with 20,556, and general workers came third with 20,332. Together, these three categories account for more than 73,000 of the total.
Skilled professionals also left in significant numbers. The figures show 560 doctors, 526 accountants, 298 computer programmers, 233 financial analysts, 260 teachers, 145 systems analysts, 96 nurses, 43 pharmacists and six pilots went abroad.
Aircraft technicians, budget controllers, designers, managers and X-ray technicians also departed in notable numbers. Monthly figures show departures were comparatively higher in January, February, July and September.
In October, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment released data showing that a total of 66,815 Pakistanis had left the country for employment over the previous two months.
The report showed that 27,656 Pakistanis went abroad in search of work in August 2026, compared with 39,159 in July. The number of overseas workers fell by 11,503 month-on-month.
