ISAS Insights

Pakistan is one of the largest exporters of labour. Between 1971 and 2016, more than 9.4 million Pakistanis went overseas for employment. The main destination for Pakistani labour was the Gulf, mainly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Almost 90 per cent of Pakistani workers are unskilled or semi-skilled and vulnerable to exploitative recruitment and working conditions. The other destinations include the United Kingdom, Western Europe and North America. The Pakistani diaspora makes a significant contribution to Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP). In the fiscal year 2014-15, remittance flow from overseas Pakistanis amounted to US$15 billion (S$20.4 billion), accounting for seven to eight per cent of Pakistan's GDP.