KARACHI: Over 87 per cent of Pakistanis looking for overseas

jobs went to the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia (KSA) in 2019, data shared by the Bureau of Emigration
and Overseas Employment as quoted by the State Bank of
Pakistan showed.

The figures show pre-Covid-19 trends as the pandemic has almost halted
the emigration for jobs to the Middle East. Despite that, the inflow of
remittances from the region is still high but the persistently low oil income
of Saudi Arabia and shocks to the UAE economy have put jobs of overseas
Pakistanis at risk.

Pakistan received around $5.4 billion from Saudi Arabia and $4.7bn from
UAE with a growth of 8.6 per cent and 1pc respectively in the previous fiscal
year. The country received record $23bn remittances in the same year with
a growth rate of over 6pc. However, during the year, nearly 70pc of the
workers registered for employment fell under the category of labourer and
drivers during 2019.

Pakistanis in the region are generally doing low-paid jobs particularly in the
UAE where workers of Indian origin are preferred for white collar jobs.

Global organisations like the World Bank have predicted low remittances in
the ongoing fiscal year.

Saudi Arabia which depends largely on oil income has been suffering from
persistently low oil prices in the international markets while global oil
consumption has also dropped. Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia may not
find new jobs while their present jobs may also be at risk.

“Low paid jobs have lesser risks than high-paid jobs,” said an analyst
adding that labours and drivers would be the last to leave the land of
opportunities.

Pakistanis have better jobs in the United States and the country received
$4.2bn with a 26pc growth in FY20. However, this source of remittances
may also suffer due to high unemployment in USA as more than 40m have
lost their jobs since the pandemic engulfed the country.

“I was told by the company that my job would be over at the end of August,”
said Engineer Khursheed Anwar from New York. He works as civil engineer
for local bodies projects in New York City. He said the government says it
has no money for new projects.

Workers would find it more difficult to stay in UAE as the country has lost
trade and tourism which yield most of the income for Emirates. Thousands
of Pakistanis have investment in that country. Few years back Pakistan was
the single largest investor in Dubai properties. Due to lost tourism and
falling trade activities, the property prices would also see a decline.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2020