Pakistan Receives $3.9 Billion in Remittances in October 2026, Up 13.8%
- Overseas Pakistanis sent $3.89 billion in remittances during October 2026, reflecting a 13.8% annual increase.
- Total remittances reached $14.8 billion during the first four months of FY2026-27, up 14% from the previous year.
- Saudi Arabia remained the largest source of remittances, followed by the UAE, UK, European Union and United States.
Pakistan received approximately $3.9 billion in workers’ remittances during October 2026, recording a substantial increase compared with the same month last year, according to figures released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday.
The latest data showed that overseas Pakistanis transferred $3.89 billion during October, representing year-on-year growth of 13.8% compared with $3.42 billion received in October 2025.
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Remittance inflows also increased by 8.5% on a month-on-month basis, indicating continued growth in funds sent home by Pakistanis working abroad.
The strong performance contributed to a significant improvement in cumulative remittances during the current financial year.
According to SBP figures, Pakistan received $14.8 billion in workers’ remittances during July-October FY2026-27, compared with approximately $13 billion during the corresponding four-month period of the previous fiscal year.
This represents an increase of 14%, highlighting the continued contribution of overseas Pakistani workers to the country’s foreign exchange inflows.
Workers’ remittances are a major source of foreign currency for Pakistan and play an important role in supporting the country’s external account, improving household purchasing power and sustaining economic activity.
The steady inflow of funds from expatriate workers also helps families meet essential expenses, including food, education, healthcare and housing, while contributing to domestic consumption.
The latest figures come after the State Bank of Pakistan revised its projections for workers’ remittances and foreign exchange reserves upward last month, citing stronger inflows and an improving external sector outlook.
During a press conference following the monetary policy announcement, SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed said remittances had remained resilient during the first quarter of FY2026-27.
He indicated that inflows were expected to exceed the central bank’s earlier projections, reflecting stronger-than-anticipated performance.
The central bank now expects workers’ remittances to reach approximately $45 billion during the current fiscal year, compared with its previous forecast of $44 billion.
The revised projection represents a $1 billion increase in expected annual inflows and reflects the importance of overseas earnings to Pakistan’s economic stability.
Saudi Arabia remained the largest source of workers’ remittances during October 2026, with Pakistanis employed in the Kingdom sending approximately $982 million.
This represented an increase of 17% compared with $838 million received from Saudi Arabia in October 2025.
On a monthly basis, inflows from the Kingdom increased by approximately 9%, compared with $899 million recorded in September 2026.
The United Arab Emirates emerged as the second-largest source of remittances, contributing $816 million during October.
Remittances from the UAE increased by 16% year-on-year from $703 million in October 2025, while monthly inflows rose by approximately 9% from $749 million in September 2026.
The United Kingdom also recorded strong growth, with overseas Pakistanis sending $592 million during October 2026.
This marked a 19% increase compared with $499 million received from the UK during the corresponding month last year, making it one of the strongest-performing major remittance corridors in terms of annual growth.
Meanwhile, remittances from the United States reached $329 million in October 2026, reflecting an increase of approximately 9% compared with $301 million recorded in October 2025.
The reported figures also showed an increase from $306 million in August 2026, indicating higher inflows from Pakistani expatriates living and working in the United States.
European Union countries collectively contributed $461 million in remittances during October, compared with $448 million received in September 2026.
This represented month-on-month growth of approximately 3%, further strengthening the contribution of European countries to Pakistan’s overall remittance receipts.
The country-wise figures for October 2026 are as follows:
| Country / Region | Remittances (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | $982 million |
| United Arab Emirates | $816 million |
| United Kingdom | $592 million |
| European Union | $461 million |
| United States | $329 million |
| Other countries | $710 million |
| Total | $3.89 billion |
The figures demonstrate the continued importance of Gulf countries as Pakistan’s largest sources of overseas remittances, while the United Kingdom, United States and European Union also account for substantial inflows.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE together contributed approximately $1.8 billion during October, representing more than 46% of the country’s total monthly remittances.
The strong performance across major remittance corridors comes as Pakistan continues efforts to strengthen its external financial position and maintain adequate foreign exchange reserves.
The State Bank’s revised annual target of $45 billion will depend on remittance trends during the remaining eight months of FY2026-27, following the $14.8 billion received between July and October.
