Between 2019 and August 2024, more than 3.5 million skilled workers from Pakistan, making up about 1.3% of the nation’s population, have emigrated for jobs through government programs. This group includes approximately 43,500 medical professionals—of which there are around 13,500 doctors—and 238 pilots who have sought employment abroad during this timeframe.
The data indicates that among those who have left the country for work opportunities are around 32,000 professional engineers and roughly 24,000 accountants. Additionally, over a million laborers and another million drivers have migrated as well; this category includes about 600,000 general laborers and around 500,000 security personnel such as guards.
Simultaneously, Pakistan has become the fifth-largest source of illegal immigrants to Europe according to a report from the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR). The report reveals concerning statistics showing that nearly 40% of Pakistanis wish to emigrate. The primary factors driving this trend include economic difficulties, political unrest, limited educational prospects, high unemployment rates, inflation issues, and threats posed by terrorism.
