In a significant demographic shift, over 230,000 Pakistanis migrated to the UAE in 2023, marking it as the second top destination for Pakistani migrants. This influx accounted for 26.77% of total South Asian migrants to the Emirates last year.
The UAE, already home to a substantial 1.7 million Pakistani expatriates, witnessed a surge in migration from Pakistan, particularly among professionals such as doctors and engineers. Many cited job scarcity and economic challenges back home as key reasons for their relocation, raising concerns about brain drain from Pakistan.
Among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Saudi Arabia remained the primary destination for Pakistani migrants, hosting 426,951 individuals from Pakistan in 2023.
Financially, the impact of Pakistani migration to the UAE was notable. Remittances from Pakistani expatriates in the UAE reached a staggering $3.7 billion during the period of July-March 2024, underlining their significant contribution to Pakistan’s economy through foreign exchange inflows.
Trade relations between Pakistan and the UAE also showed robust growth. Pakistan’s exports to the UAE surged to Rs328.6 billion, driven by various sectors, while imports from the UAE totaled Rs2.955 billion, reflecting the deepening economic ties between the two nations.
The trend of Pakistani migration to the UAE is expected to continue amid evolving economic landscapes and opportunities in the region, reshaping both countries’ socio-economic dynamics in the years to come.
