Pakistan targets eight lakh jobs for its citizens in Gulf countries

ISLAMABAD: The renowned Middle Eastern newspaper Khaleej Times has lauded Pakistan’s recent economic initiatives as vital for the country’s recovery. The report highlights Pakistan’s ambitious goal to secure 800,000 jobs for its citizens in the UAE and other Gulf nations, ARY News reported.

According to the report, Pakistan is focused on resolving the grievances of overseas workers, promoting marketable skills, and implementing reforms to ensure sustainable employment.

The newspaper noted that employment figures have already increased by 60,000 from the previous year adding to the nine million Pakistanis currently employed across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The Khaleej Times emphasized that the Pakistani diaspora plays a crucial role in the national economy, noting that overseas Pakistanis have sent a staggering $40 billion in remittances back to the country.

In addition to opportunities in the Middle East, the report mentioned that Italy has announced 10,500 jobs for Pakistanis in the healthcare and agriculture sectors.

Italy has approved a quota of 10,500 job opportunities for Pakistani workers under its new Decreto Flussi (Flow Decree) programme, marking a significant development in overseas employment for Pakistan, according to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.

Italy has announced one of the largest foreign worker intakes in Europe for 2026, offering a total of 497,550 work visas to non-European nationals over the next three years. These visas will be issued under the Decreto Flussi framework, which regulates the entry of foreign workers for seasonal and non-seasonal employment.

According to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Pakistan has successfully secured a quota of 10,500 jobs for a three-year period, allowing approximately 3,500 Pakistani workers each year to travel to Italy.

Of the annual quota, 1,500 workers will be employed under seasonal permits, while 2,000 will be accommodated under non-seasonal work permits, the ministry’s spokesperson said.

The allocated jobs cover key sectors including shipbreaking, healthcare, and agriculture, and will primarily benefit skilled and semi-skilled Pakistani workers.

The spokesperson added that the quota was approved following a formal request by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, describing the development as an important milestone.

Italy has become the first European country to allocate a dedicated employment quota for Pakistani workers.

A second meeting of the Pakistan–Italy Joint Working Group is scheduled for February 2026 to further strengthen cooperation in labour mobility.

Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain welcomed the decision, stating that it would open new employment avenues for the Pakistani workforce in Italy and reflects the government’s continued efforts to provide dignified overseas employment opportunities for Pakistani labourers.