In a significant breakthrough for overseas employment, Pakistan has successfully secured a job quota of 10,500 positions from Italy over the next three years, opening new doors for Pakistani workers in the European labor market.
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, the quota has been allocated as a result of special efforts made by the ministry under the leadership of Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain. Under this arrangement, 3,500 Pakistani workers will be employed in Italy each year for the next three years.
The annual quota includes 1,500 seasonal and 2,000 non-seasonal jobs, covering a wide range of sectors. These include shipbreaking, hospitality, healthcare, and agriculture. Skilled and semi-skilled Pakistani workers will be eligible for employment in professions such as welding, technical trades, cooking and catering, hotel services, housekeeping, nursing, medical technology, farming, and agricultural work.
The ministry spokesperson stated, “Italy is the first European country to formally allocate a labor quota specifically for Pakistan, calling it a landmark development in Pakistan-Europe labor cooperation. A second meeting of the Pakistan-Italy Joint Working Group is scheduled to take place in Islamabad in February 2026 to further strengthen collaboration.”
Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain welcomed the development and congratulated the nation, terming Italy’s allocation of a labor quota to Pakistan a historic milestone. He said that after sustained and dedicated efforts, employment opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in Italy are finally materializing. “This development marks an important step in exploring new employment opportunities for Pakistan in the European labor market,” the minister said. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing dignified employment opportunities to Pakistani workers at the global level.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain also highlighted the vital role of overseas Pakistanis, describing them as ambassadors of the country and a backbone of the national economy. He expressed optimism that in the near future, more European countries would open their doors to the Pakistani workforce, further expanding international employment opportunities.