KARACHI: A senior bureaucrat said on Monday that the federal government was going to finalise the country’s first national immigration and welfare policy.

Speaking on the inauguration ceremony of the second Korean Computer Based Testing (CBT) Laboratory here, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Secretary Dr Arshad Mahmood said that the policy aimed to ensure proper selection, safe and secure immigration and welfare for the travelling youth from Pakistan.

“The ministry is also actively working on a digitalized portal and automation of the immigration value chain, facilitating skilled youth from all parts of Pakistan in their pursuit of immigration abroad,” he added.

The federal government, through the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NVTTC), is investing Rs5 billion in skill development for Pakistani youth, he said, adding that this financial commitment underscores the government resolve to empowering the youth with the necessary skills to excel in the global job market.

‘13,000 Pakistanis working in South Korea’

The secretary said approximately 10 million Pakistanis are living abroad and they send home $31bn annually.

Ministry is working on digitalised portal to facilitate skilled youth in their pursuit of immigration abroad, says federal secretary

He shared that since 2006, approximately 13,000 individuals from Pakistan had successfully ventured to South Korea, contributing to their workforce.

He emphasised the growing interest of European countries in hiring Pakistani youth and adopting the South Korean model for a structured and effective recruitment process.

The Korean Model involves computer-based testing centres and language learning facilities, providing comprehensive training to individuals. The model has been successful in imparting new skills to the youth before placing them in decent jobs in South Korea.

The secretary noted that this model could serve as a blueprint for collaboration with many other countries, providing a framework for skill development and employment.

He said that the youth were the best ambassadors of Pakistan to South Korea.

The secretary said that a delegation from the European Union would arrive here on Tuesday as they had shown their interest in recruiting Pakistani youth for EU countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Consul General of Republic of Korea to Karachi Yi Sungho said that the economic relationship between Islamabad and Seoul would flourish.

He said that people-to-people exchange allowed both the countries to achieve mutual benefit in the current conditions.

He said that his country needed manpower for sustainable development and more young people from Sindh and Balochistan could work in South Korea in the future.

Vice President of Human Resource Development (HRD) Service of Korea Kim Sung Jae and Consul General of Republic of Korea to Karachi Yi Sungho were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2024