Brain Drain: Over 90,000 Pakistanis left the country in Aug

ISLAMABAD: In the initial eight months of 2023, a significant exodus of over 540,000 Pakistanis was witnessed, as they departed the country in pursuit of enhanced employment prospects overseas.

As per official data acquired from the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment, precisely 540,282 Pakistani nationals formally registered for overseas employment during the first eight months of this ongoing calendar year, up until August.

By the end of July, the number of Pakistanis who had embarked on this journey amounted to 450,110. This indicates that in the month of August alone, a staggering 90,172 Pakistani citizens departed their homeland, driven by aspirations of securing employment abroad.

2.75m Pakistanis moved abroad for employment in five years

A more detailed analysis of the statistics reveals that within this migration, 232,749 were classified as laborers, while an additional 118,172 took on the role of drivers. The departing workforce also encompassed 5,589 engineers, 5,216 accountants, 2,261 doctors, and 1,012 teachers.

In terms of occupational groupings, the Bureau’s data highlights that out of the emigrants, 15,052 held high qualifications, 31,130 were highly skilled, 197,719 possessed general skills, and 57,516 fell into the semi-skilled category. A substantial majority, numbering 238,865 individuals, were unskilled laborers.

Geographically, the vast majority of these overseas-bound workers, totaling 251,655, chose Saudi Arabia as their destination, followed by 147,960 heading to the United Arab Emirates, 39,901 opting for Oman, and 39,479 selecting Qatar. Notable destinations also included Malaysia (17,647), Bahrain (8,518), Romania (4,175), Greece (2,623), and Iraq (2,373).

It’s essential to note that the data provided by the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment specifically pertains to individuals who have formally registered with the Bureau. Those who relocate abroad for educational purposes or through alternative immigration channels are not accounted for in this dataset.

In the preceding year, a record-breaking 832,339 Pakistanis ventured abroad in pursuit of employment opportunities, marking the highest figure recorded since 2016.