Which countries receive the most Pakistani workers?
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Direct answer
Bureau of Emigration records show that Gulf labour markets dominate Pakistan’s formally registered overseas employment, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates historically receiving the largest numbers and Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and other destinations also important. The exact ranking changes by year, so the bureau’s destination table should be used for the period being discussed. These are worker registrations processed through formal channels, not a count of all Pakistanis living in each country and not evidence about overseas matrimonial demand.
Sources used
Reports and Statistics
Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment
Official reports and downloadable statistics for overseas employment.View sourceBureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment
Government of Pakistan
Official source for registered overseas employment flows from Pakistan.View sourceInternational Migrant Stock 2024
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division
Comparable estimates of international migrants by origin and destination; migrant stock differs from annual worker registrations and broad diaspora estimates.View source