Saudi Arabia, UAE top destinations for Pakistani job seekers despite conflict

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani workers continued to head to Gulf countries for jobs despite the conflict that engulfed parts of the Middle East earlier this year, according to official migration data.

Figures released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment showed that more than 300,000 Pakistanis secured jobs in Middle Eastern countries during the first five months of 2026, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE remaining the top destinations.

Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share, attracting 143,586 Pakistani workers between January and May, according to the data reported by Dawn and Pakistan Today.

The kingdom was among the countries affected by regional tensions during the US-Iran conflict, which began on February 28 and lasted about a month before a ceasefire took hold.

The UAE also remained a major destination. Around 50,000 Pakistanis moved to the UAE during the five-month period. During the height of the crisis in March, hundreds of job seekers were reported to have queued outside the Dubai consulate in Karachi to obtain visas.

Qatar and Bahrain likewise continued to attract workers. Official data showed that 25,500 Pakistanis left for Qatar, while 10,129 migrated to Bahrain during the January-May period.

Although the conflict disrupted shipping routes and heightened tensions across the Gulf region, demand for overseas employment among Pakistanis appeared largely unaffected.

The steady outflow of workers may also have helped support Pakistan’s remittance inflows. Remittances reached a record $4.2 billion in May, while total inflows for fiscal year 2025-26 are expected to exceed the government’s $40 billion target.

The figures suggest that overseas employment in Gulf countries remained resilient despite the uncertainty created by the regional conflict, Dawn reported.