Pakistanis continue to face visa hurdles while traveling to United Arab Emirates and some other nations. Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi highlighted concerns regarding visa denials to Pakistani citizens, describing it as a significant issue.
Tirmizi linked high rejection rates to problems with applicants’ paperwork and criminal histories. Over the past year, many Pakistani nationals faced visa rejections, leading to fewer employment opportunities for them in the Middle Eastern nation.
Ambassador Tirmizi mentioned that he had engaged in multiple meetings with officials from the UAE’s ministries of foreign affairs and human resource development to address the situation. He further discussed low employment prospects for Pakistanis, explaining that UAE now no longer requires a large workforce for unskilled labor due to the completion of much of its infrastructure projects.
The envoy further urged masses to get high-demanding skills like IT courses, AI, accountancy, medical professionals, physiotherapists, and lab technicians.
Last month, Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis discussed situation of Pakistani workers traveling to the UAE due to increased visa scrutiny and concerns over begging. While there are no official restrictions on work visas, the UAE has imposed stricter screening, especially for visit visas.
Overseas Employment Promoter reported a 50pc decrease in Pakistani workers traveling to the Gulf nation. The committee recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigate visit visa restrictions and emphasized the importance of police verification for work visas.
UAE tightens visa rules for Pakistanis, rejection rates surge
