Low-skilled workers dominate Pakistan’s migration as remittances surge: report
May 06, 2026
Nearly two-thirds of Pakistani labour migrants continue to fall into low-skilled or unskilled categories, with their combined share rising further in 2025.
According to the report, outward migration from Pakistan has remained volatile in recent years. The number of migrant workers declined from 862,000 in 2023 to 725,672 in 2024, before recovering modestly to 762,499 in 2025. The report attributes this fluctuation largely to tightening visa regimes and shifting labour market policies in host countries, rather than domestic factors.
Migration patterns remain heavily concentrated in the Gulf region, which hosts around 92 per cent of registered Pakistani migrant workers. Saudi Arabia continues to be the leading destination, attracting nearly half of all migrants. Other Gulf countries also remain key employers, particularly for low- and semi-skilled labour.
However, the report notes a gradual but notable trend towards diversification. Increasing numbers of Pakistanis are seeking opportunities in non-Gulf destinations, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as emerging Asian economies.
Remittance inflows from these non-Gulf countries tend to be higher, suggesting the presence of relatively more skilled and better-paid workers. This may also point to underreporting in official migration data, particularly in developed economies.
Remittances, meanwhile, have surged significantly. The report records a 25 per cent increase in inflows, rising from $30.2 billion in 2023-24 to $38.3 billion in 2024-25. These inflows now account for 9.34 per cent of Pakistan’s GDP, underscoring their critical role in supporting household incomes and maintaining macroeconomic stability amid rising imports and stagnant exports.
Experts say the increase is driven by both higher migration levels and a gradual shift towards skilled workers. At the same time, persistent inflation at home has eroded household purchasing power, placing additional pressure on overseas Pakistanis to send more money to support their families. Despite these gains, the report highlights several structural concerns. Women remain significantly underrepresented in the migrant workforce, accounting for just 1.0 per cent of total migrants. Analysts attribute this gap to socio-cultural barriers, limited access to recruitment channels, and concerns over safety and working conditions abroad.
Irregular migration is another growing challenge. Pakistan continues to rank among the top nationalities attempting illegal entry into Europe. The report notes that 5,680 Pakistanis were apprehended at European borders in 2024, while 3,203 were recorded in the first half of 2025 alone — with nearly 90 per cent attempting entry via risky sea routes.
The rise in irregular migration is closely linked to tightening legal pathways. Stricter visa requirements, higher application costs, and reduced job opportunities in destination countries are pushing some migrants towards dangerous alternatives.
Speaking at the launch event, Mio Sato, chief of mission at the International Organisation for Migration in Pakistan, stressed the importance of promoting safe, orderly and regular migration channels. She emphasised that migration should be a choice, not a necessity, and called for stronger skills development programmes aligned with global labour market demands.
She also highlighted the need to raise awareness about the risks associated with irregular migration and to improve financial inclusion so that remittances can be used more productively at both household and national levels.
Rector of the Lahore School of Economics, Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, described migration as a central pillar of Pakistan’s economic framework, noting the country’s reliance on external income to sustain consumption and ease pressure on the balance of payments.
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/06/2026 09:10:00 AM,
Pakistan needs structured migration pathways
Emphasising the need for safer and more structured migration pathways, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has urged Pakistan to prioritise regular migration channels, skill development, and financial inclusion to maximise economic benefits while reducing risks.
The report – fourth in a series published by the Centre on Migration, Remittances and Diaspora (CIMRAD) – was launched at the varsity's Burki campus, with Rector Shahid Amjad Chaudhry terming migration a critical area of study for Pakistan's economy, which relies heavily on external inflows and remittances.
According to the report, Pakistan's outward migration remains volatile. The number of migrants dropped from 862,000 in 2023 to 725,672 in 2024 before recovering slightly to 762,499 in 2025. The decline has been attributed mainly to stricter visa regimes and shifting policies in host countries.
The Gulf region continues to dominate as the primary destination, hosting 92% of registered Pakistani migrant workers, with Saudi Arabia alone accounting for nearly half of all migrants. However, remittances from non-Gulf countries remain comparatively higher, indicating either better wages or underreporting of migrant numbers. A major concern flagged in the report is the persistent dominance of low-skilled labour. Nearly two-thirds of Pakistani migrants fall in the low or unskilled category, with their share increasing further in 2025. At the same time, migration trends are gradually diversifying toward non-GCC countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as emerging Asian economies.
The report also draws attention to irregular migration, particularly toward Europe, where Pakistan ranks among the top 10 nationalities attempting illegal entry. Around 5,680 Pakistanis were apprehended at European borders in 2024, while 3,203 were recorded in the first half of 2025, with nearly 90% attempting entry via sea routes.
On the economic front, remittances posted a significant increase of 25%, rising from $30.2 billion in 2023-24 to $38.3 billion in 2024-25. These inflows now account for 9.34% of GDP, playing a critical role in stabilising Pakistan's external account amid rising imports and sluggish exports.
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/06/2026 08:12:00 AM,
Pakistan Migration Report 2025
May 05, 2026
Proceedings of the ceremony opened with a welcome address by Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector, Lahore School of Economics. He underscored the importance of studying migration as a critical issue for Pakistan, particularly given the country’s economic reliance on external engagement, including workers’ remittances.
Chief Guest Ms. Mio Sato – Chief of Mission, International Organization for Migration (IOM) – emphasized the need for safe migration pathways, stronger skill development, and inclusive, evidence-based policies, particularly to address barriers limiting women’s participation.
The main findings of the report were presented by Dr. Fareeha Zafar, which led to discussions on migration trends, remittance growth, and policy challenges. Director CIMRAD, Dr. Rashid Amjad, talked about the remittance inflows and their relationship with the macroeconomic environment. Dr. Nasra Shah, Professor of Demography at the Lahore School of Economics, acknowledged the extensive insights provided by the report, noting that the Pakistan Migration Report series by CIMRAD serve as a valuable knowledge base on migration in Pakistan.
At the launch, the Rector, Ms. Mio Sato, Dr. Fareeha Zafar and Dr. Nasra Shah addressed the gathering from the podium, while Dr. Rashid Amjad spoke from the front desk.
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/05/2026 09:25:00 AM,
Out Migration Back to Peak Levels
June 10, 2024
Over 850,000 workers seek jobs abroad in 2023
The Pakistan Migration Report 2024, third in the series published biennially by the Centre on Migration, Remittances and Diaspora (CIMRAD), Lahore School of Economics, was launched on June 11, 2024. Ms. Mio Sato, Chief of Mission, IOM Pakistan was the Chief Guest at the launch event. The ceremony was held at Lahore School of Economics, Burki campus. Dr Shahid Amjad chaudhry, Rector Lahore School of Economics opened the proceedings of the ceremony.
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Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/10/2024 05:28:00 PM,
Social Remittances and Social Change: Links between Home and Host Countries
February 22, 2023
The conference proceedings offered an insight into and stimulated thoughts about how the global society is transforming, as nation-state geographical borders continue to blur overtime. It brought into discussion implications for home country politics, improvements in demographic variables and women empowerment. It also raised a key question for future considerations of social remittances in terms of climate induced migration. As a future line of research, it was proposed during brainstorming session to conduct country comparative case studies in different migration contexts to better understand the complex issue of social remittances.
Dr. Peggy Levitt, Chair of Sociology Department, Wellesley College, US, in her keynote address talked about cultural globalization and the role of technological advancements. Where once the exchange of ideas was limited to occasional home visits by migrants, family members are now able to be a part of each other’s lives virtually on daily basis. Having studied migrant communities in Boston from Brazil, Ireland, Pakistan, and India, she reflected that for migrants over time, there is a growing disjuncture between how they perceived their home country and how it may have actually evolved. She termed it the “ossification effect”, where the home country is “frozen in time” in the migrants’ minds, while actually it has changed rapidly. She elaborated that age plays a role in the extent of compatibility and adaptability as migrants move. People who are able to spend more time in their home country and build strong social networks prior to migrating, are better able to implement their new ideas and practices in the home country. In comparison, those who go at an early age, not only found it more challenging to put through their ideas, but in some cases even struggled to understand the social rules necessary to get their ideas across.
Dr. Ishrat Hussain in his comments emphasised that as a developing country, Pakistan based research in any field must link with the implications for poverty alleviation and human development. Weighing in on the recently re-emerged brain drain debate from Pakistan, he asserted it was an opportunity for Pakistani migrants to acquire new skills from host markets. Besides technical skills, social remittances in form of efficiency enhancing practices, principles and values can also contribute to increasing productivity of our local market and can even be exported to other migration destinations. Given the structure of Pakistani society however, he highlighted there seems to be a reverse pattern, where instead of bringing in change, there has been a trend in re-adoption of local ineffective practices, signalling negative social remittances.
The two-day event was organised into two sessions per days, where international participants presented their papers, following by an in-depth discussion and feedback from renowned migration researchers and experts.
Dr. Philippe Fargues, Founding Director of the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute, Italy, argued that international migration and reduction in fertility are inseparable parts of social change and human development. Where country-level socio economic indicators fail to establish this relationship, the non-tangible remittances in forms of ideas with family and friends in home country can explain the phenomenon better. Pakistan’s population is growing at a worrisome rate of 2.4% annually and it has a current total fertility rate of 3.6, putting a strain on our limited economic resources. Implications of social remittances to bring down fertility rate are worth exploring from policy point of view.
Dr. Anne White, Professor at University College London School, UK, discussed how social remittances impact the migration process itself. When migrants interact with other migrants in the host country, the exchange ideas have the potential to transform the ways migration takes places, such as an inclination towards personal networking instead of through employment agencies. This could make the process even less formal in developing countries.
Presentations by Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne, Head of Migration and Urbanization Policy Research at the Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka and Mr. Froilan Malit, Jr., Ph.D Politics candidate at the University of Glasgow, UK, brought attention to the role of social media and technology in the transfer of social remittances to home countries. Dr. Malit discussed the case of Filipino diaspora in the Gulf countries on use of digital technology to impact the domestic electoral outcomes, and how their political preferences are impacted by the governance system in host countries. The study had significant relevance for Pakistan given our diaspora’s active participation in Pakistan’s recent political landscape; campaigning for change and a welfare based democratic independent system, similar to the Western countries, where around 3 million mostly high skilled Pakistan’s reside.
Using data from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, 2017-18, Dr Nasra Shah, Coordinator CIMRAD and Ms. Samar Quddus, Research Fellow, Lahore School of Economics, in their study found that women in the migrant household were twice more likely to make independent decisions on important household matters compared to non-migrant household. In this regard, family structure is a key variable such that woman autonomy is found six to seven times higher in households headed by female. The finds have development implications for Pakistan if these decisions translated into improved health and educational outcomes, even pulling families out of poverty.
Dr. Philip Martin, Professor Emeritus at the University of California-Davis, US and Mr. Manolo Abella, former Director, ILO discussed types of social remittances that arise from low skilled labour migration to higher wage countries. The analysis suggested that aspiration of improving their economic position at home leads migrants to increasing their investment in housing and land in their home countries, as well as the sense of improved well-being of families makes them investment in health and education. Search for better facilities also results in rural to urban migration. In Pakistan, where 53% of migrants in the last decade (and even before) have been low skilled, these proposed outcomes have consequences for management of our economy, provision of better basic health and education facilities and the need for planning to accommodate influx of internal migrants to urban cities.
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 2/22/2023 05:17:00 PM,
Lahore School of Economics pays tribute to renowned scholar Dr. Saigol
December 05, 2022
Ms Khawar Mumtaz – a renowned women’s rights activist and the former Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women – talked about Dr. Saigol’s impact on the society and institutions governed by social pressures, social biases, and prejudices against women. She said: “Dr. Saigol was a key theorist who looked at feminism through the lens of diversity.Read more »
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12/05/2022 03:40:00 PM,
Pakistan Migration Report 2022
July 01, 2022
According to the report, it is unlikely that the surge in remittances witnessed during 2020 and 2021 will sustain. While the shift in inflows from informal to formal channels and the new initiatives during Covid-19 period were able to increase the average monthly inflows to around USD 2,500 million, the impact of these factors has been diminishing and inflows are slowing down. Deteriorating economic conditions and political environment discourages investment-oriented inflows, the report warns that this aspect demands consideration given the over reliance on these inflows.
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 7/01/2022 09:02:00 AM,
Covid-19 Crisis & Asian Migration Launched
December 10, 2021
He was speaking as a Chief Guest at the launch of book “Covid-19 Crisis & Asian Migration” edited by Dr Nasra M Shahat at the Lahore School of Economics, Burki Campus. Dr Azam Amjad Chaudhry, HoD and Dean of Faculty of Economics, Lahore School of Economics opened the proceedings of the launch. Dr Ishrat elaborated that Japan and Europe were facing a decline in population growth which would materialise into shortage of labour. Pakistan that has a growing population and labour force, which can make up for the shortage in these economies but the ability to exploit that opportunity rests on being able to identify the relevant sectors and building the required skill sets. He raised important questions for future policy and research. Talking about Saudi Arabia, host to the largest Pakistani migrant workers, he drew attention towards the implications of liberalisation happening in the country on the outflows of migrants from Pakistan and the living conditions of all migrant workers in general. Especially since the liberalisation in the context of migration would mean a shift away from the current kaffala (sponsorship) system.
The book contributes to enhance our understanding of migration dynamics and related issues that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. It contains opinions from leading experts and scholars on returnee management initiatives taken by home countries, host countries’ strategies to facilitate migrant workers and ways to improve governance of migration. It covers case studies of Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka to highlight the impacts of the pandemic.
Labels: Books, GIDS, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12/10/2021 03:47:00 PM,
Role of migrants in building Pakistan’s knowledge economy
February 28, 2020
Labels: CIMRAD, GIDS, Pakistan Economy, Pakistan Migration Report, Publications
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 2/28/2020 01:59:00 PM,
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