Migrant outflow declines in recent years due to visa restrictions: report
LAHORE: International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Pakistan Chief of Mission Mio Sato highlighted migration as one of the most important development realities across the globe, with particular relevance to Pakistan. She was addressing at the launch of “The Pakistan Migration Report 2025,” fourth in the series published by the Centre on Migration, Remittances and Diaspora (CIMRAD) at the Lahore School of Economics (LSE). While underscoring the need for prioritising regular pathways of migration, Sato implied that migration should be a choice and not a necessity. She discussed some of the key aspects for the safe and dignified migration from Pakistan, including provision of skill training programmes, to meet the international labour market demands, raising awareness about the opportunities and risks of migration at all stages, and evidence-based solutions. She also identified gender gaps in migration indicating that the under-representation of women in international labour force migration was not because of limited opportunities but due to barriers such as socio-cultural norms, limited access to recruitment networks and unsafe working conditions. LSE Rector Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry opened the proceedings of the ceremony and proposed migration as a significant topic to study at every level, particularly in the perspective of Pakistan – a country entirely dependent on the outside world for its consumption and worker’s remittances. The 2025 report highlights the persistent fluctuation in the migrant outflow from Pakistan as the numbers plummeted from 862,000 in 2023 to 725,672 in 2024 and rose slightly again to 762,499 in 2025. While outward migration remains irregular and non-linear over time, the report attributes the recent decline primarily to the visa restrictions and policy shifts in the host countries. It provides comprehensive analysis of recent trends in migration from Pakistan to two regions separately – th...
Original source: Dawn Pakistan