Gulf conflict fails to slow Pakistani job migration to Middle East

KARACHI: Pakistani workers continued to leave for jobs in Gulf countries during the first five months of 2026 despite the regional conflict, with official data showing that more than 300,000 people secured employment in Middle Eastern states between January and May.

Figures released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment showed Saudi Arabia remained the leading destination, receiving 143,586 Pakistani workers during the period. The United Arab Emirates was the second-largest destination, with about 50,000 Pakistanis emigrating there.

The continued outflow came even though both countries were directly affected by the conflict. The war began on Feb 28 and lasted about a month before a ceasefire was reached. Saudi Arabia was also drawn into the fighting and reportedly faced multiple attacks by Iran targeting American facilities in the kingdom.

Although the ceasefire ended the main phase of fighting, uncertainty in the region persisted as intermittent strikes by the United States and Israel, along with retaliatory attacks by Iran, continued. The situation was further complicated by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and heightened maritime tensions.

Workers continue to head to Gulf states

Despite those concerns, Gulf countries remained key labour markets for Pakistanis. The UAE continued to attract workers during the period, including to Dubai, which had been viewed as one of the potential targets during the conflict. During March, when fighting was under way, hundreds of Pakistanis were seen lining up outside the Dubai consulate in Karachi to obtain visas.

Other Gulf states also continued to receive Pakistani workers. Official data showed that about 25,500 Pakistanis left for Qatar during January-May, while 10,129 migrated to Bahrain over the same period. Both countries had also been seen as vulnerable during the conflict.

Remittances remain strong

The sustained migration of workers may have helped support remittance inflows, which had earlier been expected to come under pressure. Remittances reached a record $4.2 billion in May.

Total remittance inflows by the end of FY26 are expected to exceed the $40 billion target, indicating that overseas employment in Gulf states has remained strong despite regional instability.