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Remittances in Pakistan: Why have they gone up, and why Aren't they coming down?

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  • Ms. Yan M Sun
  • Udo Kock

Abstract

The flow of workers' remittances to Pakistan has more than quadrupled in the last eight years and it shows no sign of slowing down, despite the economic downturn in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other important host countries for Pakistani workers. This paper analyses the forces that have driven remittance flows to Pakistan in recent years. The main conclusions are: (i) the growth in the inflow of workers' remittances to Pakistan is in large part due to an increase in worker migration; (ii) higher skill levels of migrating workers have helped to boost remittances; (iii) other imporant determinants of remittances to Pakistan are agriculture output and the relative yield on investments in the host and home countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Ms. Yan M Sun & Udo Kock, 2011. "Remittances in Pakistan: Why have they gone up, and why Aren't they coming down?," IMF Working Papers 2011/200, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2011/200
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    Cited by:

    1. Jawad, Muhammad & Qayyum, Abdul, 2015. "Modeling the Impact of Policy Environment on Inflows of Worker’s Remittances in Pakistan: A Multivariate Analysis," MPRA Paper 62019, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2015.
    2. Amar Iqbal Anwar & Mazhar Mughal, 2012. "Remittances, inequality and poverty in Pakistan: macro and microeconomic Evidence [Centre d'Analyse Théorique et de Traitement des données économiques REMITTANCES, INEQUALITY AND POVERTY IN PAKISTA," Working papers of CATT hal-01885153, HAL.
    3. Sidra Feroz & Bushra Yasmin, 2021. "Terrorism and Brain Drain in Pakistan: Is There a Connection?," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 22(1), pages 73-87, March.
    4. Muhammad Zahid Naeem & Shama Arzu, 2017. "The Role of Remittances on Human Development: Evidence from Developing Countries," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 6(2), pages 74-91, June.
    5. Chan Bibi & Amjad Ali, 2021. "Do Remittances Impact Human Development in Developing Countries? A Panel Analysis of Selected Countries," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 7(2), pages 27-42, June.
    6. Kumar, Ronald R., 2011. "Role of Financial and Technology Inclusion, Remittances and Exports vis-à-vis growth: A study of Nepal," MPRA Paper 38850, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 17 May 2012.
    7. Mazhar Mughal & Farid Makhlouf, 2013. "Labour effects of foreign and domestic remittances -- evidence from Pakistan," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(6), pages 798-821, November.
    8. Ahmed, Junaid & Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada, 2014. "What drives bilateral remittances to Pakistan? A gravity model approach," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 209, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    9. Faridoon Khan & Amena Urooj & Farman Ullah Khan, 2020. "Factors Affecting Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis of Democratic and Non-Democratic Eras of Pakistan," iRASD Journal of Economics, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 2(2), pages 61-71, December.
    10. Kumar, Ronald/R, 2011. "Role of Trade, Aid, Remittances and Financial Development in Pakistan," MPRA Paper 38871, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Ahmed, Junaid & Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada, 2013. "Blessing or curse: The stabilizing role of remittances, foreign aid and FDI to Pakistan," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 153, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    12. Rashid Hussain & Ghulam Abbas Anjum, 2014. "Worker's Remittances and GDP Growth in Pakistan," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 4(2), pages 376-381.
    13. Yashodhan Ghorpade, 2016. "Extending a Lifeline or Cutting Losses? Conflict and Household Receipts of Remittances in Pakistan," HiCN Working Papers 236, Households in Conflict Network.
    14. Michael Clemens and David McKenzie, 2014. "Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth? - Working Paper 366," Working Papers 366, Center for Global Development.
    15. Amjad, Rashid & Siddiqui, Rizwana, 2014. "Economic Impact of Remittances: Does it matter how they are sent?," MPRA Paper 90108, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2017.
    16. Ahmed, Junaid & Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada, 2015. "Do transfer costs matter for foreign remittances? A gravity model approach," Economics Discussion Papers 2015-12, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    17. Imen Mohamed Sghaier, 2021. "Remittances and Economic Growth in MENA Countries: The Role of Financial Development," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 1, pages 43-59, March.
    18. Rashid Amjad & G. M. Arif & M. Irfan, 2012. "Preliminary Study: Explaining the Ten-fold Increase in Remittances to Pakistan 2001-2012," PIDE-Working Papers 2012:86, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    19. Michael A. Clemens & David McKenzie, 2018. "Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(612), pages 179-209, July.

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