Visit visa misuse and fake job promises triggered stricter UAE scrutiny on Pakistani workers
Written By: Muhammad Adnan Paracha
Former Vice Chairman Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA)
There is a background behind the suspension of work visas for Pakistani labor in the United Arab Emirates, which is being explained here.
The current situation may partly be linked to the restrictions on Pakistani workers’ visas in the UAE, but the issue actually dates back to the period following the end of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2022. Once lockdowns were lifted, economic activity resumed worldwide, and like many other countries, the UAE also experienced an increased demand for labor.
From the second quarter of 2022, Pakistani workers and young job seekers started heading toward the UAE for employment opportunities. Taking advantage of relaxed visa policies, agents began sending people on visit visas instead of proper work visas. This corrupt agent mafia deceived innocent people with false promises of jobs and sent them to the UAE on visit visas for personal financial gain.
What was feared eventually happened. In December 2022, the UAE government took notice of the situation and initially started reducing visa issuance for passports belonging to residents of certain Pakistani cities. The restrictions began with four cities, but no one in Pakistan paid serious attention, and eventually the restrictions expanded to 26 cities. I repeatedly approached senior authorities and media channels regarding this issue, but no action was taken against the responsible elements. Instead, unnecessary restrictions were imposed on young people seeking overseas employment. In my personal and organizational capacity, I raised the matter directly with Pakistani authorities through letters and media platforms, highlighting the denial of UAE visas for residents of certain cities, but no serious response was received.
The misuse of UAE visas by Pakistanis continued, and in November 2023, the UAE government completely stopped the transfer of visit visas into employment visas. This marked the beginning of a process that further tightened restrictions on Pakistanis in the UAE. After the closure of visit-to-employment transfers, thousands of Pakistanis returned home. However, many others whose agents failed to secure jobs for them could not return. When they ran out of money and failed to find employment, they were forced into begging. As a result, the UAE imposed an unofficial ban on work visas for Pakistanis.
Even then, instead of taking concrete steps to solve the root causes of the problem, the Pakistani government increased restrictions on young people traveling abroad. The FIA continued deporting even those holding valid visas, which gradually reduced the annual transfer of Pakistani labor to the UAE. According to data from the Bureau of Statistics, more than 128,000 Pakistanis received employment visas in 2022, but the number gradually declined to 52,000 by 2025.
To meet labor demand, Pakistanis began establishing companies in the UAE and obtaining employment visas to shift their businesses from Pakistan to the UAE. According to UAE Chamber of Commerce data, thousands of companies were registered between 2022 and 2025. However, the UAE also tightened scrutiny in this area.
Instead of resolving the issue, the Pakistani government continued taking measures that complicated matters further. Various additional documents and tests were introduced, while excessive fees and corruption significantly increased the difficulties faced by young people seeking jobs abroad.
It is not true that UAE visas are completely closed for Pakistanis, but the scrutiny process has become extremely strict. Visa processing now requires nearly two months to complete. The inclusion of additional documentation and testing requirements has increased the cost of overseas employment by 25 to 30 percent. Young people traveling for jobs are treated as sources of cash, and bribes are demanded from them at every stage. Both government officials and private sector individuals are involved in this culture of corruption.
I acknowledge that due to a few black sheep among overseas employment promoters associated with my business, employment opportunities for Pakistani youth in the UAE have not only been restricted, but the country’s reputation has also suffered, while the number of foreign exchange earners has declined. Unfortunately, those responsible for causing this damage have still not been held accountable.
