NA informed: Pakistani worker registrations for Oman and Qatar plunge in 2026
ISLAMABAD: Registrations of Pakistani workers for employment in Oman fell to 607 in 2026 from 9,373 in 2025, while those for Qatar declined to 35,858 from 68,361, the National Assembly was informed on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question by MNA Sharmila Faruqi, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain said registrations for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stood at 51,238 in 2026, compared with 52,659 in 2025.
The reply did not specify the cut-off date for the 2026 figures, making a direct comparison with the full-year 2025 totals difficult.
Hussain said workers’ remittances rose by 8.6 per cent to a record $41.58 billion in the fiscal year 2025-26, despite regional uncertainty.
The figures come amid concerns that prolonged instability in the region could affect employment opportunities for Pakistani workers in Gulf countries and, in turn, their earnings and the remittances they send home.
Hussain said no large-scale displacement, layoffs or suspension of major projects involving Pakistani workers had so far been reported by Pakistan’s missions abroad, community welfare attachés or recruitment agencies.
According to figures from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE), 1,707,625 Pakistanis went abroad for employment in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait during 2024-26.
They accounted for 91 per cent of the 1,871,666 Pakistanis who went abroad for work during the period.
Saudi Arabia remained the leading destination, with 1,210,528 Pakistani workers registered over the three years, followed by the UAE with 169,889, Qatar with 145,032, Oman with 91,570, Bahrain with 80,328 and Kuwait with 10,278.
Hussain said Pakistani migrant workers were heavily concentrated in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, leaving remittance inflows closely linked to employment and economic conditions in the region.
He said remittances could remain steady during the initial stages of uncertainty as overseas workers maintained or increased transfers to support their families and prepare for possible difficulties.
Prolonged disruption in labour markets in host countries, however, could affect recruitment, infrastructure development and project activity, reducing job opportunities, earnings and overtime payments and eventually putting pressure on remittances, he added.
Outlining measures to assist Pakistanis returning home because of job losses or crises, Hussain said the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) was facilitating returning migrants through reception and reintegration desks at Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore airports. The desks provide initial assistance, counselling and referrals.
The OPF also plans to offer soft loans to eligible returnees seeking to start or restart businesses. A programme run in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) provides technical training and employment support.
Around Rs138 million has been disbursed or spent to assist overseas Pakistanis affected by emergencies and crises, Hussain said.
Separately, the BE&OE, in consultation with the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC), has drafted an agreement concerning the premature repatriation of emigrants.
The proposal remains under discussion, with questions relating to insurance coverage, premiums, financial implications and compatibility with existing welfare policies yet to be resolved.
Hussain said he and the ministry’s secretary had been in contact with GCC governments and ambassadors to discuss the welfare of Pakistani workers.
He added that he visited Qatar in September 2026 to discuss challenges facing Pakistani workers and the wider Pakistani community there.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026