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November 9, 2026

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Jeddah skyline, February 2020
Pakistan

250 Skilled Workers from Punjab Leave for Jobs at a Saudi Energy Project in Jeddah

Faizan Altaf

Around 250 skilled workers from Punjab left Pakistan on Sunday for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they will take up jobs at a major energy and power plant project. The group includes safety inspectors, fabricators, welders and other trained workers, and their departure is the latest step in Punjab’s push to turn skills training into real jobs abroad.

The workers were recruited for the project after the Punjab government met employers in Saudi Arabia last year, and the province says it will help cover their travel and related costs. For the families of the 250 workers, the departure means a steady income from abroad. For Pakistan, it means more remittances — the money sent home by Pakistanis working overseas — at a time when the country depends heavily on it.

This article explains what happened, who the workers are, how Punjab’s overseas jobs programme works, and what it means for Pakistan’s economy.

What happened on Sunday

Around 250 Pakistani citizens departed for Jeddah on Sunday, 8 November 2026, after being recruited for various jobs at a major energy and power plant project, a Punjab government official said.

Adnan Afzal Chattha, chairperson of the Chief Minister Punjab Task Force on Skills Development, announced the departure on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He said a delegation from the Punjab government had visited Saudi Arabia last year and met various employers there, and that those meetings were now turning into actual jobs for Pakistani workers.

“Today, 250 of our Pakistani youth departed for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for employment where they will work on a major energy and power plant project,” Chattha wrote. “They include safety inspectors, fabricators, welders and other workers.”

Chattha said the provincial government would provide support for the workers’ travel and related expenses, on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He added that the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) had made sure the workers received industrial safety, health, safety and environment (HSE) and essential guidance training before they left.

Before the group departed, Chattha urged them to represent Pakistan well in Saudi Arabia. “Through your hard work, honesty and discipline, bring honor to your country, be a source of support for your parents and fulfill your dreams,” he wrote.

Who the workers are and where they will work

The 250 workers are skilled and semi-skilled tradespeople, not general labourers. The roles named by the Punjab government are safety inspectors, fabricators and welders, along with other workers for the project.

That matters, because these are the kinds of jobs Saudi employers are actively looking for. A safety inspector checks that a work site follows safety rules and that workers use the right protective equipment. A fabricator builds and assembles metal structures and parts. A welder joins metal pieces together — a skill that is in high demand on energy, construction and industrial projects across the Gulf.

The workers will be based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s main port city on the Red Sea and its second-largest city. Jeddah is a major hub for trade, industry and construction, and it is also the gateway city for pilgrims travelling to Makkah.

The project itself is described as a major energy and power plant project. The Punjab government has not publicly named the employer or the exact plant, and no salary figures for this group have been announced. What is clear is that the workers were recruited for confirmed jobs, not sent on a promise — a point the province’s skills fund stresses in all of its overseas placements.

How Punjab is sending workers abroad

The departure of the 250 workers did not happen on its own. It is part of a wider programme run by the Punjab government to connect trained young people with jobs overseas, mainly in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

The Parwaaz Card

The best-known part of the programme is the Parwaaz Card, an interest-free loan scheme that helps skilled workers cover the cost of going abroad for a confirmed job. The card pays for pre-departure costs such as travel, recruitment and the Takamol certification that Saudi Arabia requires for skilled workers.

The first batch under the Parwaaz Card left in June 2026, when 135 skilled young people travelled to Saudi Arabia. Of those, 105 went into hospitality jobs, mostly at quick-service restaurants, and 30 went into construction. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz saw the group off at a ceremony in Lahore and described them as ambassadors of Pakistan.

The programme aims to support around 45,000 people across Punjab, with close to Rs6.867 billion in interest-free loans. The Punjab Skills Development Fund has said the card is an interest-free loan for people who already have a job offer abroad — it does not promise or guarantee employment, and it does not take money from applicants.

The Tabeer placement programme

Alongside the Parwaaz Card, the PSDF runs a programme called Tabeer, which places trained graduates directly into overseas jobs. Under Tabeer, the fund handles the whole process in one place: demand-driven training, internationally recognised certification, job confirmation and visa processing.

The PSDF says it has already placed more than 100 trained graduates in Saudi Arabia’s construction and hospitality sectors through Tabeer. In a separate recruitment drive, 218 young people from Punjab and other parts of Pakistan were selected for jobs in Saudi Arabia with a leading international food service chain, after a recruitment exercise in Lahore run by the Americana Group with Safwa HR.

The PSDF’s chief executive, Ahmed Khan, has said the one-window model removes barriers for graduates by guaranteeing confirmed placements and handling the process end to end, so workers are not left uncertain about their jobs before they travel.

Training first, travel second

A common thread in all of these programmes is training before departure. The 250 workers who left on Sunday had already completed industrial safety and HSE training through the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department and the PSDF.

That training is important for two reasons. First, Saudi employers require certified skills and safety knowledge, especially on energy and industrial sites. Second, it protects the workers themselves, who will be working on a large industrial project where safety rules matter.

Punjab has put serious money behind this approach. The province allocated Rs26 billion in its 2025–26 budget for youth skills development and entrepreneurship under the CM Skilled Punjab initiative. The PSDF, Pakistan’s largest skills fund, says it has trained more than 600,000 people across 250 trades over 15 years, and that nearly 44 percent of its graduates are women.

Why Saudi Arabia needs Pakistani workers

Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest destinations in the world for Pakistani workers, and demand is growing. The Kingdom is building new cities, energy plants and infrastructure under its Vision 2030 plan, and it needs large numbers of skilled workers to build and run them.

Pakistan has been working to make it easier for its workers to get there. In November 2026, Saudi Arabia assured Pakistan that visas for Pakistani workers would be issued within 24 hours, with the Saudi ambassador pledging full help with the process. The two countries also agreed to set up a joint working group to deal with workers’ problems quickly and to promote training that matches what Saudi employers need.

Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries for work. Many go through government channels such as the Overseas Employment Corporation or provincial programmes like Punjab’s, while others go through licensed private recruitment agencies.

For the workers themselves, a job in Saudi Arabia usually means a higher income than similar work at home, along with free accommodation and medical cover in many cases. For their families, it means regular money sent home each month.

What this means for Pakistan’s economy

Pakistan relies heavily on remittances — the money that Pakistanis working abroad send back home. Millions of Pakistanis work in the Gulf, and their remittances help Pakistan build its foreign exchange reserves and pay for imports and external debt.

Pakistan received more than $32 billion in remittances last year, and each worker abroad contributes an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 a year on average. That means a group of 250 workers could send home roughly $750,000 to $1.25 million a year between them — money that goes directly to families in Punjab and helps local shops, schools and businesses.

The bigger picture is that Punjab is trying to turn its large young population into an export of skilled labour. Pakistan has around 1.7 million new entrants to the labour force each year, but its 3,000-plus technical and vocational institutes can only train about 455,000 students at a time. Programmes like Tabeer and the Parwaaz Card are an attempt to close that gap by linking training directly to confirmed jobs abroad.

If the model works, it could be repeated in other provinces and other Gulf countries. The PSDF has said it plans to expand its placement service into more Gulf markets and new sectors such as healthcare and retail.

What workers should know before going abroad

The Punjab government’s programme is designed to be safe and legal, but anyone looking for work abroad should take care. Here are some simple points to remember:

  • Only go with a confirmed job offer. The PSDF says its placements are made only after a job offer is confirmed. Never pay an agent for a job that does not exist yet.
  • Use licensed channels. Overseas jobs should come through the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, the Overseas Employment Corporation, a provincial programme like the PSDF, or a licensed recruitment agency. Check the agency’s licence before paying anything.
  • Get your protector stamp. Pakistani workers going abroad legally need a protector stamp from the Protector of Emigrants. It is a legal requirement and it also gives you access to government help if something goes wrong.
  • Keep your documents safe. Carry copies of your contract, visa, passport and insurance, and leave copies with your family at home.
  • Know the Parwaaz Card rules. The Punjab Skills Development Fund has said the Parwaaz Card is an interest-free loan for people who already hold a job offer. It does not charge applicants for jobs, and it does not promise employment to anyone.

Frequently asked questions

How many workers left for Jeddah?

Around 250 skilled workers departed on Sunday, 8 November 2026, for jobs at a major energy and power plant project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

What jobs will they do?

They include safety inspectors, fabricators, welders and other workers for the energy and power plant project.

Who organised the departure?

The Punjab government, through the Chief Minister’s Task Force on Skills Development, the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF). The announcement was made by Adnan Afzal Chattha, chairperson of the task force.

What is the Parwaaz Card?

It is a Punjab government scheme that gives interest-free loans to skilled workers who already have a job offer abroad, to cover pre-departure costs such as travel, recruitment and Saudi Arabia’s Takamol certification. The first batch of 135 workers left under the scheme in June 2026.

Why does this matter for Pakistan?

Pakistan depends on remittances from workers abroad. The country received more than $32 billion last year, and each worker abroad sends home an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 a year on average.

Is the Punjab government sending more workers?

Yes. The province has placed more than 100 graduates in Saudi Arabia through its Tabeer programme, selected 218 young people for Saudi jobs in a separate drive, and aims to support around 45,000 people through the Parwaaz Card.

Conclusion

The departure of 250 skilled workers for Jeddah is a small story with a big meaning. For the workers and their families, it is a chance at a better income and a more secure future. For Punjab, it is proof that its skills-to-jobs model — training first, confirmed job second, government support for the journey — can deliver real results. And for Pakistan, each group of workers that leaves is another stream of remittances coming home.

The challenge now is to keep the pipeline going: more training, more employer partnerships, and more verified, legal routes abroad, so that young Pakistanis can find work without falling prey to fraud or false promises. If Punjab can repeat this 250-worker departure again and again, the province’s skilled youth could become one of Pakistan’s most valuable exports.

Sources

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Faizan Altaf

Faizan Altaf is the founder and author of findivoza.com, a news blog covering world, Pakistan, business, technology, health and sport in plain English. He writes for general readers who want clear, trustworthy news without jargon. His work focuses on explaining what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.

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