ISLAMABAD – The Government of Pakistan issued a warning to job seekers to seek employment overseas, saying that working on visit visa, Umrah visa, or any non-work visa constitutes a punishable offence under applicable laws.
Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment shared strict guidelines, reinforcing the misuse of visit visas for employment purposes. Bureau cautioned that, under the Immigration Ordinance 1979, no individual is permitted to take up employment abroad on a visit, Umrah, or individual visa without the assistance of a licensed and registered employment promoter or recruiting agency.
The statement clarified that individuals seeking overseas employment must engage only through authorized and registered channels. It added that any citizen wishing to work abroad on a visit visa must contact the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment to submit their application or seek guidance through proper legal procedures.
Officials noted that some individuals attempt to travel on visit visas and subsequently secure employment abroad, a practice that has been declared illegal and in violation of immigration regulations.
The bureau also warned that if a person is found working in another country on a visit visa and is subsequently arrested, legal proceedings may be initiated against them under relevant laws.
Citizens have been advised to rely exclusively on legal and registered recruitment mechanisms to avoid fraud, legal complications, or deportation, and to ensure compliance with immigration rules when seeking overseas employment.
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