According to Syed Agha Rafiullah, the Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development, a record number of 829,549 emigrants were registered for foreign employment through the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE) in 2022. This marks the highest amount of registered emigrants in the last five years, with many graduates and other Pakistanis migrating to other countries for better work opportunities.
Rafiullah also highlighted that since 1971, 12.45 million Pakistani workers have been registered with BE&OE for employment. However, a declining trend was observed in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID restrictions, with only 224,705 and 286,648 emigrants being registered respectively.
To explore and tap into international job markets for intending emigrants, BE&OE has taken several measures, including adopting a diversification strategy to shift the focus to new labor markets. The declaration of intent on migration and mobility has already been signed with Greece and the UK and is soon expected to be signed with Germany. Additionally, 12 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on human resources export with different countries, including Denmark, Germany, Greece, Kuwait, Italy, Iran, and Romania, are under bilateral discussion.
The government has also appointed 24 community welfare attaches in 16 countries to explore new opportunities for Pakistani labor, with a focus on utilizing the skills of skilled Pakistanis better. Approximately 9 million Pakistanis are currently working in different countries, contributing towards the country’s socio-economic development. However, there still needs to be a dedicated mechanism for providing assistance and solutions to protect their properties.
To address this issue, the Ministry/OPF has decided to pass a bill that will protect overseas Pakistanis regarding their properties. Additionally, all regular employees of OPF schools and colleges receive minimum remuneration as prescribed by the government, while employees on contract receive payment per the terms and conditions of contractual employment rules and policies. Rafiullah noted that some contract employees’ remuneration is still less than the minimum wages declared by the Federal government. However, up to a 10% annual increment is granted to contractual employees upon renewal of their annual contracts.
The record number of Pakistanis registered for overseas employment in 2022 indicates the country’s ongoing struggle with rising inflation and high living costs. The government’s efforts to explore and tap into new labor markets, as well as provide protection for overseas Pakistanis’ properties, are essential steps towards ensuring the country’s economic growth and the well-being of its citizens.
