More Than Half of Pakistanis Would Consider Leaving Country for Better Opportunities, Survey Reveals

52% of Pakistanis are open to moving abroad, exceeding the global average of 46%; survey finds 44% of young Pakistanis would consider leaving, while 56% prefer to stay

Hamid Khan Wazir

ISLAMABAD: More than half of Pakistanis would consider moving abroad in search of better opportunities, highlighting the scale of migration aspirations in the country, according to the WIN Worldviews Survey 2026, conducted across 45 countries and released by the Gilani Research Foundation and Gallup & Gilani Pakistan.

The survey found that 52% of Pakistanis are willing to consider moving to another country for better opportunities, compared with the global average of 46%, underscoring the widespread appeal of opportunities beyond Pakistan's borders.

The findings reveal that 40% of Pakistanis would move abroad if they could do so legally, while another 12% said they would consider leaving regardless of the conditions. Meanwhile, 48% said they would prefer to remain in Pakistan, while less than 1% were undecided or did not respond.

The results place Pakistan above the international average in willingness to consider migration, raising important questions about the country's ability to provide sufficient economic opportunities, career prospects and a promising future for its citizens.

Pakistani Youth Less Inclined to Leave Than Their Global Counterparts

Despite the overall inclination toward migration, the survey presents a different picture among young Pakistanis. Among those aged 18 to 24, 44% said they would consider moving abroad for better opportunities, while 56% preferred to stay in Pakistan.

Of the young respondents willing to move, 36% said they would do so if they could move legally, while 8% said they would consider leaving regardless of the conditions.

The findings indicate that young Pakistanis are considerably less inclined to migrate than young people worldwide. Globally, 66% of young people said they would consider moving abroad, including 51% who would move if they could do so legally and 15% who would move regardless of the conditions. Only 27% of young people worldwide said they would prefer to stay in their home countries.

Pakistan Faces Challenge of Turning Aspirations into Opportunities

The survey findings highlight the importance of creating an environment in which people can pursue better livelihoods and professional growth without feeling compelled to seek opportunities abroad. While the poll measures people's willingness to consider migration, it does not establish why individual respondents would leave or whether they intend to migrate in the near future.

Nevertheless, the fact that 52% of Pakistanis are open to moving abroad, compared with 46% globally, makes the findings significant for discussions about employment, economic prospects and the country's future workforce.

At the same time, the 56% of young Pakistanis who prefer to stay represent a substantial proportion of the country's younger population whose aspirations could be supported through greater access to education, employment and professional development.

Survey Covers 45 Countries

The WIN Worldviews Survey 2026 is based on approximately 45,000 interviews across 45 countries. In Pakistan, Gallup & Gilani Pakistan surveyed 1,000 men and women from urban and rural areas across all four provinces between December 6, 2025, and January 14, 2026.

The survey used computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI), with an estimated margin of error of approximately ±2–3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

The findings offer a snapshot of migration attitudes in Pakistan and worldwide, highlighting a central challenge for policymakers, ensuring that people who aspire to a better future can find meaningful opportunities at home.