Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed Pakistani embassies abroad to intensify efforts to identify and publicize overseas job opportunities for Pakistani nationals, his office said on Monday, after around 800,000 young Pakistanis registered on the Digital Youth Hub.
Digital Youth Hub Registration Surge
The Digital Youth Hub, commonly known as the PM’s Youth Program, acts as a central platform offering young Pakistanis access to scholarships, job resources, entrepreneurial support, and skill development opportunities. The registration of 800,000 youth highlights the growing demand for employment among the country's young population.
Remittances and Labour Export Strategy
With remittances serving as a vital source of foreign exchange, Pakistan has stepped up efforts in recent years to increase the export of skilled and semi-skilled manpower to overseas markets. The government has sought to boost labor exports by strengthening vocational training, improving workforce certification, and exploring new employment opportunities in the Gulf, Europe, and other regions.
“Pakistani embassies should expedite measures to raise awareness and provide data on employment opportunities available abroad,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by his office at a meeting to review youth employment. “The entire system of the Protectorate of Immigration should be digitized.”
Unemployment Reaches 21-Year High
The development comes after unemployment in Pakistan rose to 7.1 percent, its highest level in 21 years, despite 3.7 percent economic growth claimed by the government in the outgoing fiscal year that ended in June, according to Pakistan’s Economic Survey 2025-26. The number of unemployed people rose from 4.5 million to 5.9 million in FY26, indicating that the current growth rate was not enough to generate sufficient employment in the South Asian country of more than 240 million people.
Sectors with Overseas Opportunities
Officials briefed participants at Monday’s meeting that around 800,000 Pakistani youngsters have registered themselves with the Digital Youth Hub, pointing to employment opportunities abroad in construction, agriculture, tourism, health, transport, biotechnology, manufacturing, shipbuilding, information technology, engineering, nursing, pharmaceuticals, and food processing sectors. They said various training programs were underway to provide employment to Pakistanis in these sectors.
Skills and Certification Alignment
The prime minister directed the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), and Youth Program to ensure that Pakistani manpower, especially the youth, is provided with skills and various language courses along with certifications. “All institutions should strengthen ties with different countries to harmonize Pakistani certifications with international standards,” he said. “In countries where employment opportunities are available for Pakistani skilled workers, language education along with certifications should be ensured.”
