Islamabad: More than 762,000 Pakistanis travelled abroad for employment in 2025, reflecting a continued rise in overseas labour migration, according to data released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment.

The bureau reported that 762,499 Pakistanis left the country for work during the year, up from 727,381 in 2024, indicating sustained demand for Pakistani workers across a range of professions and skill levels in international labour markets.

The data shows that workers from diverse professional backgrounds secured overseas employment in 2025, including 5,659 accountants, 10,503 chefs, 3,795 doctors, and 5,946 engineers. In addition, 1,640 nurses, 1,725 teachers, 163,718 drivers, and 6,475 electricians also found jobs abroad.

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According to the bureau, the outbound workforce also included 465,138 labourers, 5,700 masons, 12,703 technicians, 11,777 managers, 2,306 plumbers, and 2,027 waiters. Of the total, 18,352 were classified as highly educated professionals, 13,657 as highly skilled, and 222,171 as skilled workers, while 42,257 were semi-skilled and 466,062 were unskilled labourers.

Saudi Arabia remained the largest destination for Pakistani workers, with 530,256 individuals travelling there for employment during the year. Other key destinations included the United Arab Emirates with 52,664 workers, Qatar with 68,376, Bahrain with 37,726, Kuwait with 6,590, and South Korea with 39.

Pakistani workers also secured employment opportunities in Europe, North America, and East Asia. The bureau recorded 1,005 workers going to the United States, 4,355 to the United Kingdom, 984 to Germany, 813 to Italy, 1,109 to Romania, 2,230 to China, and 2,210 to Japan.

Officials said the figures reflect Pakistan’s growing participation in the global labour market and the continued demand for Pakistani workers across skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled categories.