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Migrant workers are vital to Pakistan’s economy, contributing billions of dollars in remittances every year. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, remittances are expected to reach a staggering $35 billion—equal to the country’s total exports.
These funds sustain families, stabilize foreign exchange reserves and support the overall economic framework.
Despite their significant economic contribution, the government’s treatment of these workers has been inappropriate. Although export industries receive a number of incentives and concessions, migrant workers face systemic exploitation and bear the highest costs of migration in the world.
In the first half of the current fiscal year, overseas Pakistanis sent remittances worth $17.845 billion. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif recently acknowledged their contribution, calling them a “lifeline” to the national economy. However, the rhetoric is not defined after meaningful action for their well-being. These workers brave unsafe working conditions, exploitative practices and a general lack of institutional safeguards. Their journey, from recruitment to overseas employment, is fraught with challenges that demand immediate attention and optimization.
The recruitment process for Pakistani migrant workers is a case of outright exploitation. Sub-agents dominate the system, charging exorbitant fees and making false promises. The Migration Rules, 1979 (Section 15-A) cap recruitment services fees in Pakistan at 6,000 rupees ($29), including air tickets, medical examinations, work permits and other expenses. However, many migrant workers pay high fees, including informal payments. An international study by the Labor Organization in 2016 found that Pakistani migrants in GCC countries spent an average of eight months’ wages to recover migration costs, 80 percent of which went to intermediaries for work permits. was paid to High costs combined with low wages, a key indicator of forced labor, increase the risk of debt slavery. According to the ILO, recruitment fees and related costs should be borne by the employer in the country of destination, not by the workers.
A 2014 study found that low-skilled Pakistani workers migrating to GCC countries incurred an average recruitment cost of 11 months’ earnings (£4,400), among the highest levels globally. Meanwhile, Indian workers paid significantly less in 5-6 months of income. Filipino workers paid about 1-2 1-2 months of earnings when migrating to the same destinations. As a result of different regulatory environment, level of transparency and differences in government protections in the respective country. Pakistan should increase regulations, streamline processes and educate its workers to reduce costs and align with international standards such as SDG 10.7.1.
A sub-agent controlled legal migration market exacerbates these challenges and leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation. The ILO examines recruitment fees paid by workers who perform “extortion as ‘extortion’ which has become an acceptable institutionalized business practice in the labor recruitment industry.”
The legal framework governing labor migration in Pakistan is outdated and ineffective. The Migration Ordinance of 1979, which regulates the sector, no longer reflects contemporary realities. Unregistered sub-agents exploit these loopholes, charge irregular fees and expose workers to unsafe or exploitative work environments. Out of 5,066 licensed overseas job promoters in Pakistan, only 2,345 have valid licenses. An overwhelming majority of them are based in a few major cities in the country. Meanwhile, unorganized intermediaries operate with impunity in rural areas, where access to formal services is limited. Regulatory action often fails because those involved in sub-agents are quickly replaced or continue to operate unofficially.
Public sector agencies like the Overseas Employment Corporation have failed to provide a viable alternative to private recruiters. In 2023, the OEC provided employment for only 2,779 workers out of 862,000 migrants. In 2024, as of December, it supported only 1,709 out of 727,381 migrant workers. This highlights the inefficiency of the existing mechanisms and emphasizes the urgent need for reforms to ensure fair and accessible recruitment for all.
The challenges faced by Pakistani migrant workers do not end after they get a job abroad. Many jobs involve unsafe working conditions, long hours and low wages. According to the ILO, migrant workers are three times more likely to be victims of forced labour, with low-skilled workers being the most vulnerable. Excessive and illegal recruitment fees add to their plight. A 2016 ILO study estimated that unauthorized cash transactions in the global recruitment industry were $10 billion over a decade. Experts believe that this number has increased significantly in the last ten years. These fees and practices trap workers in a cycle of debt, giving them little support.
Pakistani diplomatic missions have failed to adequately support workers facing challenges abroad. Thousands of workers are detained in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, often with little legal representation or assistance from Pakistani embassies. The absence of a comprehensive consular protection policy leaves many migrants stranded, without access to justice or basic support. Meanwhile, hundreds of insurance claims for migrant workers remain unresolved. Some cases have been pending for more than a decade. These inefficiencies further disadvantage workers who already face significant difficulties.
Lack of pre-departure training and awareness among migrants from Pakistan compounds these problems. The Philippines and Bangladesh, meanwhile, have comprehensive programs to prepare their workers for the challenges they face abroad. The Philippines has established a dedicated Department of Migrant Workers, which integrates migration into its economic strategy and provides pre-departure briefings, skills training and regular system updates.
Bangladesh operates Migrant Resource Centers in 42 districts, offering technical training and information to workers before they operate. In contrast, Pakistan has only three migrant resource centres, located in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar that provide limited services to a small segment of the migrant population.
The plight of low and semi-skilled workers is particularly relevant. According to the Pakistan Migration Report 2024, more than half of Pakistani labor migrants fall into these categories. Bureau of Migration and Overseas Employment data shows that of the total 727,381 migrant workers who left Pakistan through legal channels in 2024, 58 percent fell into the low and unskilled category. Global demand for low-skilled workers is declining, leaving this demographic at greater risk of unemployment and exploitation.
Women, who constitute only 0.94 percent of Pakistan’s migrant workforce, face additional barriers, including social stigma, restrictive cultural norms and limited opportunities. This disparity highlights systemic inequalities in Pakistan’s migration system that deny women access to international employment opportunities and economic empowerment.
To address these issues, Pakistan must initiate comprehensive reforms to protect the rights and welfare of its migrant workers. First, the recruitment process should be streamlined to align with international fair recruitment practices. Sub-agents should be regularized and increase access to licensed OEPs, especially in rural areas. Pre-deportation briefings must be introduced to inform workers about their rights, risks and support systems available. These measures should be extended to both regular and irregular migrants to ensure that no one is left behind.
Diplomatic missions should be equipped to provide effective and timely assistance to workers in need. This includes negotiating prisoner transfer agreements with host countries, allowing detained laborers to serve their sentences closer to home. Additional resources should be allocated to ensure that consular staff can promptly address issues such as wage theft, poor working conditions and legal disputes.
The modernization of the Migration Ordinance in 1979 is important to address systemic deficiencies in Pakistan’s migration governance. The new framework should include measures to regulate recruitment fees, enforce accountability in the recruitment process and protect workers’ rights throughout the employment journey. Additionally, the government should establish mechanisms to collect and analyze data on migration trends, including challenges faced by failed migration and returnees. These data will be essential for formulating evidence-based policies that meet the needs of migrant workers.
Best practices by regional counterparts offer valuable lessons. The Philippines and Bangladesh have successfully integrated migration into their national economic strategies, showing how strong governance frameworks can protect workers and improve their contributions. Pakistan should draw on these examples to build a system that values and protects its migrant workforce.
Pakistani migrant workers are more than just economic contributors. They are also parents, siblings and children who strive to provide a better future for their family. Their sacrifices deserve more than symbolic recognition. Addressing the systemic flaws in the labor migration process is not only an economic imperative but also a moral responsibility.
By implementing fair recruitment practices, strengthening consular support and modernizing the legislative framework, Pakistan can create a migration system that is both equitable and sustainable. The government should commit to a fund that promises 1 percent of remittances from programs to enable migrants to return and set up in Pakistan. Recognizing and protecting the rights of these workers is essential for the country’s economic stability and reputation globally.
The author is an Islamabad-based, award-winning journalist, researcher and trainer with an interest in labor and migration. He can be reached at aounsahi@gmail.com
