Saudi firms told to hire more Pakistani workers, recruiter says: the numbers so far

Big Saudi companies have been asked by their government to hire more Pakistani workers, according to Issam Baig, chairman of the overseas recruitment firm Jan Mohammad and Sons. Executives of three to four major Saudi firms told him so during recent visits to Riyadh and Jeddah, Baig told Arab News, in comments reported by ProPakistani on Sunday.

"They have told us that they have been told and pushed by Riyadh and their ministries to accommodate more Pakistanis," Baig said. He called it a good sign for ties between the two countries and for job seekers here, but added that Pakistan must "uphold that trust by sending them quality manpower".

No Saudi ministry has made a public announcement of a hiring drive, so for now this is the account of one senior recruiter, not a policy.

Saudi Arabia jobs for Pakistanis, in numbers

Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE) figures cited in the report:

Of 1.87 million Pakistanis who registered for work abroad from January 2024 to September 2026, more than 1.21 million, nearly 65%, went to the Kingdom. A senior BE&OE official said the government is studying developments in the Middle East to understand recent hiring trends.

The 2026 pace is well below 2025's: 258,178 in nine months is about 28,700 a month, against an average of about 44,200 a month last year. A push from Riyadh would matter for that reason.

Why it matters at home

Money sent home from the Gulf is one of Pakistan's biggest sources of dollars. The country received a record $41.6 billion in remittances in FY26. A worker sending SAR 2,000 a month home currently sends about Rs 147,600 at the open-market rate on our Saudi riyal to rupee page; use the currency converter for your own amount.

If you are planning to go

1. Use a licensed promoter. Only overseas employment promoters licensed by BE&OE may recruit. Ask for the licence number and check it.
2. Get the protectorate. Every worker must register at a Protector of Emigrants office before flying; it also puts you on record for help abroad.
3. Read the contract for salary, hours, housing, and who pays the iqama and the return ticket.
4. Skills pay. A recognised trade certificate in electrical, plumbing, welding or driving usually means better pay than general labour.
5. Never hand over your passport or cash to a sub-agent without a receipt.