From Pakistan to the Gulf region: An analysis of links between labour markets, skills and the migration cycle
Despite the substantial benefits generated by the migration flow between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, many challenges remain to ensure a fairer distribution of the triple-win profits. Much has been written on the abuses of migrant workers during recruitment and employment throughout the migration cycle, but less is known about labour demand, its relationship to skills and the impact of the recruitment process on these aspects.
Lack of information regarding qualifications, skills, wages and how demand will evolve inhibits informed decision-making by public and private institutions as well as by migrant workers. This results in lost opportunities or mistakes in strategy planning in and between source and recipient countries. For instance, there is no system of mutual recognition of educational attainment and acquired skills based on comparable standards for low-skilled or semi-skilled occupations. This report addresses some of these issues, with a special focus on the role of skills in Pakistan, including skills training, certification, skills matching and recruitment practices.