Surge in Emigration: Over 330,000 Pakistanis Left the Country in First Half of 2025
Karachi: Due to rising unemployment, economic instability, and low wages, approximately 330,000 Pakistanis left the country in the first six months of 2025. This exodus includes highly educated professionals and skilled individuals, with a noticeable increase in the migration of doctors and nurses, contributing to further strain on Pakistan’s healthcare system.
According to *Gulf News*, a significant number of nurses have been migrating from Pakistan in recent years in search of better employment opportunities abroad. They are attracted to countries like the Gulf states, the UK, and Canada, offering attractive salaries, safer working conditions, and opportunities for professional growth. This shift has placed additional pressure on the already struggling healthcare sector in Pakistan.
The Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment reports that in 2024, nurses made up 5.8% of the highly educated workforce leaving the country. With a population of over 240 million, Pakistan requires at least 700,000 nurses. However, by 2020, only 117,000 nurses were registered in the country, revealing a significant shortfall.
In total, 727,381 professionals emigrated from Pakistan in 2024, with 336,442 leaving in the first six months of 2025. The data indicates that many nurses are leaving through private arrangements, which makes it difficult to track their departure in government records.
The country’s health system is now facing a critical shortage of skilled professionals, further exacerbated by the increasing trend of emigration among doctors, nurses, and other technical staff.
