Islamabad, Feb 4: The trend of unskilled Pakistani workers securing jobs in the UAE is gradually coming to an end, with the country shifting its focus toward a demand for highly skilled professionals, according to Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
In an interview with Gulf News, Ambassador Tirmizi emphasized that Pakistan needs to prioritize training in sectors such as IT, banking, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and aviation to meet the evolving demands of the UAE’s job market. He noted that skilled workers have the opportunity to secure high-paying jobs, often earning much more than their unskilled counterparts.
Tirmizi also highlighted the growing global demand for healthcare professionals, specifically nurses and physiotherapists, urging the development of world-class nursing education in Pakistan. To further support the shift toward skilled professionals, he mentioned ongoing discussions with international institutions to establish pilot training schools in Pakistan, making aviation careers more accessible to aspiring professionals.
The ambassador also pointed out a remarkable surge in remittances from the UAE to Pakistan, which have increased by 53% in just six months, reaching $4.5 billion. He expressed confidence that this figure could exceed $9 billion by the end of the fiscal year.
Looking to the future, Tirmizi emphasized the importance of tourism, higher education, and foreign investment in shaping Pakistan’s economic trajectory, with the UAE playing a crucial role in this vision. The shift toward skilled labor and a more diversified economy is seen as a key step in strengthening Pakistan’s relationship with the UAE and advancing the nation’s economic development.