The number of Pakistanis leaving the country for overseas employment has fallen by 20 percent over the past six months, raising concerns about the future of remittances, widely regarded as the backbone of the national economy.
According to data from Overseas Employment Promoters, only 317,000 Pakistanis went abroad on work visas between January and June this year, compared to 381,250 during the same period last year.
The decline puts at risk the governmnet target of sending 800,000 workers abroad by December 2026, which experts now say is unlikely to be achieved.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and other Gulf states remain the primary source of remittances for Pakistan. However, employment opportunities for Pakistani workers in the Middle East are being affected by weak policy measures at home.
Overseas Employment Promoters identified the NEWTECH testing system and high fees as major obstacles preventing workers from going abroad.
Laborers unfamiliar with computers are struggling to navigate the complex NEWTECH requirements, and many are forced to spend an additional Rs100,000 to Rs150,000 on testing, medical examinations and documentation.
Experts have called for a reduction in fees to lower the overall cost of seeking employment abroad. Despite the decline in outbound workers, overseas Pakistanis sent a record $41.5 billion in remittances during fiscal year 2025-26. The government has set a target of $44 billion in remittances for fiscal year 2026-27.
