Around 10 million Pakistanis have left the country in search of better opportunities abroad over the last 17 years, with the highest number of emigrants recorded during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) tenure from 2013 to 2018, ARY News reported, citing a report by the Pulse Consultant.
According to the report titled 'An Overview of Pakistani Emigration Patterns', a total of 95,56,507 people emigrated from Pakistan over the last 17 years.
The peak of migration wave was seen in 2015, when over 9,00,000 individuals left Pakistan in search of jobs. However, by 2018, this number sharply declined by 60 per cent, with only around 3,00,000 people emigrating for jobs.
The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted migration trends, with a surge in numbers observed in 2022 as restrictions eased. The number of emigrants rose to around 8,00,000 in 2022 and 2023, ARY News reported.
Notably, the proportion of highly skilled individuals emigrating has risen to 5 per cent since 2022, compared to the previous rate of 2 per cent.
However, the majority of those leaving the country in the last two years have been blue-collar workers and labour class, with 46 per cent being unskilled labourers, up from 41 per cent during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) tenure.
Significant shifts have also been observed in migration destinations and job opportunities. While Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar have traditionally been the top destinations for Pakistani job seekers, a significant shift has been seen in the post-COVID landscape. The UAE saw a sharp decline in Pakistani workers, while a substantial growth was seen in Saudi Arabia.
The UK, Iraq, and Romania have also gained prominence as attractive destinations for Pakistani emigrants during the post-COVID period. This mass exodus raises concerns about the brain drain and the impact on Pakistan's economy and workforce, according to ARY News.