Pakistan registered 427,435 workers for overseas employment in the first nine months of 2026, according to official figures from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE).

The figures, reported on 30 October, show the flow of workers abroad remains substantial even as it continues to ease from the post-pandemic surge. At the current pace, the full-year total is expected to sit broadly in line with the levels recorded over the past decade.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates remain the leading destinations for Pakistani workers. Registrations for Oman and Qatar have fallen sharply from previous highs, while European and other non-traditional destinations are attracting growing interest.

Outflow eases from 2023 peak

The nine-month total compares with 763,526 workers registered in the whole of 2025. The outflow peaked at 862,625 in 2023, after rebounding to 832,339 in 2022 as economies reopened following the pandemic. It stood at 728,509 in 2024.

Before the pandemic, registrations stood at 382,439 in 2018. They fell to 225,213 in 2020, when global travel restrictions were in force, before recovering to 288,280 in 2021.

The Bureau's own data puts the number of Pakistanis who had proceeded abroad for employment at 356,674 by July 2026. Every worker leaving Pakistan for a job abroad must register with the Bureau, which also licenses the overseas employment promoters who recruit them.

Workers planning to go abroad are advised to check that their recruiter holds a valid Bureau licence and to register with the Protector of Emigrants before departure.