PM approves Pakistan’s first 'Skills Impact Bond' to boost youth employability

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday approved Pakistan’s first-ever Skills Impact Bond, a modern financing model designed to attract private investment aimed at enhancing youth employability.

The approval came during a high-level review meeting on the roadmap for youth employment in the country.

Under this innovative “Pay-for-Success” model, training programs will focus on imparting skills aligned with current market demands, empowering young people to contribute effectively to Pakistan’s economic growth.

Public or donor funds will be released only after independently verified results—such as job placements or income targets—are achieved.

Speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister directed authorities to accelerate efforts to build youth capacity through relevant skills training and ensure employment opportunities post-training.

He expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Affairs, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), and other institutions involved in youth employment initiatives.

Highlighting the importance of language skills, the Prime Minister urged that youth be provided opportunities to learn local languages of foreign countries to improve their chances of overseas employment.

He also called for a comprehensive roadmap outlining estimated job opportunities and youth hiring both domestically and abroad, with progress reviews scheduled every two months.

“The training of skilled workers for international employment should be prioritized,” he emphasized.

The Prime Minister further instructed a campaign to raise awareness among youth about employment opportunities available through the Digital Youth Hub platform.

The meeting was informed that under the Prime Minister’s directives, the federal government is taking comprehensive steps to ensure youth employment in Pakistan and overseas, alongside skill development and education to enhance employability.

Officials shared that over 500,000 individuals have registered on the Digital Youth Hub, with more than 1.7 million app downloads. Additionally, over 500 companies are registered on the platform, which currently offers more than 47,000 job opportunities in Pakistan and over 100,000 jobs abroad, along with more than 2,000 scholarships.

More than 500 institutions—including Pakistani embassies, government bodies, private sector companies, NGOs, and international organizations such as the United Nations—are linked to the Digital Youth Hub.