Pakistan’s freelancers have delivered a genuine economic bright spot, earning a record $1.76 billion in foreign exchange during the 2025-26 fiscal year. That marks a striking 78% jump from the $984 million logged a year earlier, according to State Bank of Pakistan data. In a country where dollar inflows matter enormously, this is a number worth pausing on.
IT freelancers contributed $1.16 billion, a solid 49% rise over the previous year, adding roughly $385 million to the total. So the technology side did the heavy lifting in absolute terms, which surprises nobody given Pakistan’s growing pool of developers and digital specialists.
Non-IT freelance earnings rocketed to $592 million, up from just $205 million a year earlier, a staggering 188% surge that added nearly $387 million. That covers work like writing, design, marketing, translation, and virtual assistance, which shows the export story reaches well beyond coding into a much wider services economy.
Pakistan Freelance Earnings, FY26
| Segment | FY26 | FY25 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | $1.76 billion | $984 million | +78% |
| IT freelancers | $1.16 billion | ~$775 million | +49% |
| Non-IT freelancers | $592 million | $205 million | +188% |
| Estimated workforce | ~3 million freelancers | — | — |
Industry estimates put Pakistan at around three million full-time and part-time freelancers, ranking it among the largest freelancing markets in the world. Pakistan Freelancers Association chairman Ibrahim Amin said the sector has become a major economic driver, with digital workers now out-earning several traditional export industries.
PAFLA president Dr Imran Batada urged wider training in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and emerging technologies, arguing it could cut unemployment while lifting incomes and exports. He called Pakistan’s skilled workforce one of the country’s greatest national assets.
His sharpest advice pointed past individual gigs, however. Batada urged freelancers to build startups, register companies, and create long-term digital businesses rather than chasing one project at a time. That shift, from freelancing to firm-building, is arguably what would turn a strong export figure into a durable digital economy.
