Pakistani Expats in the UAE

Expats in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoy their lives to the fullest. The UAE accommodates several expats from across the world, so it has a multicultural population with diverse backgrounds. Besides Americans, Australians, Chinese, and South Africans, and Indians, Pakistanis have also come to the UAE in search of better opportunities. Pakistanis have a population of approximately 1.5 Million in UAE. They are the second largest group in UAE after the Indian expatriates. Pakistan and the UAE maintain strong economic relations with each other.

Pakistanis are mostly Muslims and from a Muslim country, therefore they can easily adjust in countries like UAE, KSA etc, because they share many similarities with the people living here on religious and cultural levels. Apart from that, due to their friendly nature, they are also very friendly with Non-Muslims living in these countries. Both are Islamic countries, so Pakistanis already understand the Sharia Law applied in UAE. These countries are geographically close to each other, as much as a three-hour flight. By reducing travel distance, the Pakistanis have positively contributed to the UAE’s economic growth.

In the 1970s, the UAE built strong relations with many countries. Pakistan was one of the countries from which workers were appointed to work in the UAE. At that time, many Pakistanis went to the UAE in search of better opportunities. They made money by working in the oil, construction, and agriculture industries. With time, the Pakistanis started working in the healthcare, education, and business sectors of the UAE.

The Pakistani expats have significantly shaped the UAE’s economy, making it a global business hub. Over the years, Pakistanis have also started their entrepreneurial journey from the UAE because the UAE government has always loved new ideas related to technology and innovation. They are among largest investors in Real Estate sector of UAE. Here is a breakdown of Pakistanis contributing to the UAE economy:

• Labour Force

Most Pakistanis work in particular industries of the UAE, such as construction, transportation, and retail. These might be unskilled labourers, but they have contributed to building skyscrapers such as Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah.

• Pakistani Skilled Labourers

Skilled Pakistani laborers have performed their healthcare, education, finance, and IT duties. With their ambitions to work as medical staff, teachers, entrepreneurs, or even consultants in the IT sector, Pakistanis have gained experience in the international market, opening their avenues to more opportunities. These businesses have also encouraged trade between the UAE and Pakistan.

• Pakistani Culture in the UAE

The Pakistani expats have similar cultures to the UAE because both countries share the common religion, Islam. However, the cuisine could be different as the UAE nationals prefer Arabic food, which is a little bland, whereas Pakistanis bring a blend of spices to their food. The celebrations are also a little different but respected in the UAE. On the 14th of August each year, Pakistanis celebrate their independence just like in their home country. Many flag-raising ceremonies happen in the UAE, and cultural programs are also hosted on the eve of Independence Day. Eid festivals are also celebrated with Pakistani dishes and more cultural activities. As for sports, both countries enjoy cricket matches, and they are thoroughly celebrated.

• PAD

Pakistan Association Dubai or PAD, is a non-profit, social welfare and cultural organization for Pakistani community in Dubai, UAE. PAD arranges cultural events and social gatherings to promote the harmony and brotherhood between Pakistan and UAE people.

Pakistani expats also face challenges like other expatriates in UAE. Each one of them comes for better opportunities, but they struggle in their ways:

• Financial Struggles

Financial struggles are the hardest ones, no matter where you live. Blue-collar Pakistanis cannot even save money to send back to their home country. Also, living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is unaffordable for many Pakistanis as most of them are working as blue-collar labourers—unskilled workers.

• Employment Issues

Though there is no restriction on Pakistanis to find jobs in the UAE, but some still face challenges related to unpaid salaries and poor working conditions. Their jobs also limit career growth. Hence, employment could be difficult in the UAE.

• Social Isolation

The Pakistanis working on low wages may feel isolated when they cannot afford all the recreational facilities and attend social events in the UAE. Also, they do not understand English or Arabic to communicate properly with others in the UAE.

The UAE has several community groups that are helpful for the expats. Pakistanis also have community support groups where the new expats can talk about problems they face in the UAE and find a way to tackle them. However, these communities are non-profit organizations providing healthcare services, cultural activities, and community support. Embassies and consulate services are efficiently working for Pakistani visas. They are proactively renewing their passports and providing legal advice to Pakistani expats in the UAE.

The Pakistanis have contributed to creating welfare programs under which they sponsor education for underprivileged children and provide financial help to workers in distress.

Many Pakistani expats in the UAE send money back to their home country to their families. These remittances support families and the education of children in the home country. Expats have also contributed to the infrastructure of Pakistan, as foreign payments are increasing people’s living standards.

Pakistanis have contributed to the economic growth of both countries, especially to the UAE. The UAE has made Pakistanis work in the IT sector to have exclusive innovation programs, ensuring expertise in dealing with the international market. Pakistan and the UAE are also open to trade, which creates a positive collaboration between the two countries. However, scholarships to Pakistanis in the UAE will also strengthen the ties between the UAE and Pakistan.

The UAE always tries to support Pakistani expats, such as introducing the Golden Visa program for Pakistani investors and entrepreneurs. It has also introduced labor reforms, ensuring the employment rights of expats. Also, the UAE has multilingual legal consultants to help Pakistanis resolve their legal issues in the UAE.

Additional Reading: Leading Lawyers in Dubai