Over 427,000 Pakistanis register for overseas jobs in nine months of 2026

The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment recorded 427,435 Pakistani registrations for work abroad from January through September 2026, Profit by Pakistan Today reported. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates remained the main destinations, but interest in European and other less traditional markets has grown. Registrations linked to Oman and Qatar, meanwhile, have dropped considerably from earlier levels.

The nine-month total comes after overseas registrations reached 862,625 in 2023, then eased to 728,509 in 2024 before climbing to 763,526 in 2025. The earlier rebound included 832,339 registrations in 2022, while the pandemic-era totals were 225,213 in 2020 and 288,280 in 2021. The 2026 count points to a more moderate pace so far, and registrations in the final quarter will affect the full-year tally.