More than 1.87 million Pakistanis travelled abroad for work between 2024 and 2026, according to figures presented to the National Assembly during Question Hour. Official documents submitted to the House showed that 1.871 million Pakistanis went overseas for jobs during the three-year period.
2026 departures included 681 highly skilled workers
The documents said 15,850 Pakistanis left for foreign countries for employment in 2026, including 681 highly qualified and skilled individuals. The figures also showed that professionals and educated workers from fields such as medicine, engineering, information technology and education were among those who sought jobs abroad.
The documents did not specify the destination countries, the occupations of all departing workers, or the reasons behind their decision to seek employment outside Pakistan.
Highly educated Pakistanis also moved abroad in 2024 and 2025
According to the official figures, 28,726 highly educated Pakistanis obtained employment abroad in 2025, including 1,510 individuals classified as highly skilled. In 2024, 45,830 highly educated Pakistanis went abroad for work, the documents said.
The documents did not fully explain how the categories of highly educated, highly qualified and highly skilled workers overlap.
According to official statistics on Pakistani professionals leaving the country for employment between 2024 and 2026, Managers saw the highest numbers with 23,674 departures in 2024, 9,562 in 2025, and 5,190 in 2026. This was followed by Engineers, totaling 8,015 in 2024, 5,945 in 2025, and 3,605 in 2026. Accountants also left in significant numbers, recording 4,799 departures in 2024, 4,305 in 2025, and 1,771 in 2026.
Meanwhile, Doctors recorded 3,625 departures in 2024, 3,795 in 2025, and 2,093 in 2026, while Teachers maintained a steady trend with 1,729 in 2024, 1,725 in 2025, and 1,457 in 2026. Nurses saw figures of 2,030 in 2024, 1,639 in 2025, and 626 in 2026. For technology and specialized roles, Computer Programmers accounted for 1,351 departures in 2024, 1,147 in 2025, and 664 in 2026, whereas System Analysts recorded 362 departures in 2025 and 243 in 2026 (with no data recorded for 2024). Highly Skilled Pakistanis registered 1,616 in 2024, 1,510 in 2025, and 681 in 2026.
Other professions included Financial Analysts (683 in 2024, 923 in 2025, and 424 in 2026), Dental Surgeons (63 in 2025 and 45 in 2026, with none in 2024), Pharmacists (155 in 2024, 183 in 2025, and 156 in 2026), and Pilots (33 in 2024, 37 in 2025, and 11 in 2026).
