Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination

Return migration to Pakistan is highly diverse, ranging from the lifestyle-driven back-and-forth mobility of naturalized citizens from Europe to the forced return of irregular migrants via deportations and assisted voluntary return programmes. While the country relies heavily on remittances—receiving 18.4 billion USD in financial year 2014—returnees often face a context of instability, poor living conditions, and a lack of trust in state institutions due to corruption and nepotism. The Pakistani government's approach to return migration has primarily focused on short-term laborers from the Middle East and the promotion of formal remittance channels, leaving the needs of other diaspora groups largely unaddressed and the country's broader socioeconomic potential untapped.

• The Pakistani diaspora is estimated at 8 to 10 million people, representing approximately 4 per cent of the total population of 185 million. Major hubs include the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with significant numbers also residing in Europe, Asia, and North America.
• Pakistan's environment for returnees is marked by a contradiction between severe instability and economic potential. The country ranks poorly in the Visa Restrictions Index (92), Global Peace Index (154 of 162), and Human Development Index (146 of 187), yet it has seen a growing middle class since 2000.
• Remittances are a critical economic pillar for Pakistan, with inflows increasing annually despite global economic crises. In the 2014 financial year, the country received 18.4 billion USD, which was a 16 per cent increase from the previous year and equaled the nation's foreign exchange reserves.
• A significant portion of return migration is involuntary, involving deportations and 'voluntary assisted return' programmes. Between 2007 and 2013, the UNODC estimates nearly 400,000 Pakistani migrants were deported. In 2013 alone, over 8,000 were deported from EU states, and half of nearly 5,000 people in IOM assisted return programmes from Greece returned to Pakistan.
• Naturalized citizens from the UK and Norway often engage in 'back-and-forth' mobility rather than permanent return. These moves are frequently motivated by lifestyle choices, retirement, or family obligations, such as care work for elderly parents, and often involve living in secluded developments in cities like Islamabad and Lahore to minimize interaction with state services.
• Deep distrust of the Pakistani government, specifically regarding corruption and nepotism, discourages permanent settlement for many migrants. This lack of trust extends to state institutions and local politics, leading many to use 'backdoors' or personal contacts to obtain necessary documents.
• The Pakistani state's governance of return migration is limited and fragmented. Policy has focused primarily on short-term laborers from the Middle East and the 'Pakistani Remittance Initiative' to increase formal banking transfers, while failing to address the needs of other diaspora groups or the capacity of local authorities to coordinate development.

APA

Erdal, M. B. (2015). Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/fb1e6d49-f74e-41fb-b621-3b6b0922602d/Erdal - Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination PRIO Policy Brief 13-2015.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Erdal, Marta Bivand. Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2015. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/fb1e6d49-f74e-41fb-b621-3b6b0922602d/Erdal - Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination PRIO Policy Brief 13-2015.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Erdal |first1=Marta Bivand |title=Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2015 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/fb1e6d49-f74e-41fb-b621-3b6b0922602d/Erdal - Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination PRIO Policy Brief 13-2015.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{erdal2015pakistan, author = {Erdal, Marta Bivand}, title = {{Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2015}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/fb1e6d49-f74e-41fb-b621-3b6b0922602d/Erdal - Pakistan as a Return Migration Destination PRIO Policy Brief 13-2015.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }