LAHORE: Speakers at an international conference said that stricter immigration controls, geopolitical conflicts and the growing use of artificial intelligence could reshape migration patterns from Asia, with changing labour policies in Gulf countries threatening employment opportunities for millions of workers traditionally employed in the region.
They warned that while demand for skilled professionals was increasing, opportunities for low and semi-skilled workers were facing growing restrictions. They also cautioned that current remittance inflows could mask a possible decline in overseas employment opportunities in the coming years.
The observations were made during the second day of the fourth international conference organised by the Centre on International Migration, Remittances and Diaspora (CIMRAD) at the Lahore School of Economics on Wednesday.
During a session on changing labour demand and immigration policies, Françoise De Bel-Air, a senior fellow at the Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population programme, said opportunities for skilled professionals were expanding across North America, Europe and the Gulf, while traditional migration channels for low and semi-skilled workers were becoming increasingly restricted.
Dr Nasir Iqbal, an economist and policy researcher at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, said the migration landscape had undergone significant changes in 2026 due to geopolitical conflicts and the rapid adoption of AI.
He said Gulf countries were increasingly selecting migrant workers according to specific skills, occupations and migration pathways, while labour-sending countries were becoming active partners in screening and preparing workers.
He cautioned that AI and changing labour policies in Gulf states could affect seven out of 10 jobs traditionally taken by migrant workers. The potential decline in employment opportunities along the Gulf migration corridor required urgent attention, he added.
Earlier, Dr Fareeha Zafar identified political instability, economic insecurity, unemployment and limited access to quality education as major factors driving irregular migration from Asian countries.
She also highlighted the gender dimension of irregular migration, saying women faced heightened vulnerabilities, including risks of human trafficking, along transit routes.
Marco Mogiani, a researcher at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, discussed the impact of changing European Union migration policies on migration from Pakistan and Bangladesh. He said stricter border controls, biometric surveillance and return measures had influenced migration patterns from the two countries. The discussion also examined how anti-smuggling measures and migration policies affected departure patterns, migration routes and migrant casualties.
Dr Shahida Aman, chairperson of the Department of Political Science at the University of Peshawar, said research into irregular migration should also examine social relations and the role of communities in shaping migration aspirations and decisions.
Another presentation by Dr Gennaro Errichiello, assistant professor at Habib University, examined the Pakistan-UAE migration corridor and the role of social networks in helping migrants navigate employment opportunities and restrictions associated with temporary residence.
Froilan Malit, an Asia-Middle East labour migration specialist, described the Asia-Gulf corridor as one of the most resilient labour migration systems in the Global South. He said greater attention was needed to skill-recognition systems and their integration into foreign policy frameworks governing labour migration between developing countries.
The conference also held a discussion on the potential impact of the US-Iran-Israel conflict on future international migration from Asia.
The two-day conference brought together migration researchers and policy experts to discuss country-specific migration trends, irregular migration, labour demand and changing migration governance across South Asia, Europe and the Gulf.
Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026
