MigrantoImmigrants in Pakistan
3.5M foreigners live in Pakistan — 1% of the country's population
Immigrants in Pakistan by country
The 3 largest groups make up 100% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1923453 |
| India | 1597134 |
| China | 3568 |
| Myanmar | 2297 |
| Iran | 2148 |
| Sri Lanka | 539 |
| Indonesia | 380 |
| Iraq | 233 |
By region of origin
100% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Pakistan in numbers
Afghans are the largest group by a wide margin
54% of all immigrants were born in Afghanistan, while the next group accounts for just 45%.
26% of all emigrants from Afghanistan live in Pakistan
No other country has more people born in Afghanistan.
Immigrant population in Pakistan over time
Foreigners living in Pakistan, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 6203799 |
| 1995 | 3665602 |
| 2000 | 4178579 |
| 2005 | 3171399 |
| 2010 | 3940511 |
| 2015 | 3425927 |
| 2020 | 3201265 |
| 2024 | 3529752 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Pakistan, by year
| Year | Afghans | Indians | Chinese | Burmese | Iranians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3374973 | 2818248 | 490 | 3598 | 4108 |
| 1995 | 1291867 | 2365884 | 410 | 3000 | 3060 |
| 2000 | 2069977 | 2101039 | 363 | 2662 | 2940 |
| 2005 | 1166210 | 1998814 | 347 | 2551 | 2381 |
| 2010 | 1990641 | 1943345 | 338 | 2479 | 2345 |
| 2015 | 1710378 | 1709217 | 334 | 2460 | 2301 |
| 2020 | 1598223 | 1597134 | 311 | 2297 | 2148 |
| 2024 | 1923453 | 1597134 | 3568 | 2297 | 2148 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Pakistan
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Pakistan
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Pakistan?
Around 3.5M immigrants live in Pakistan — the world's #18 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Pakistan are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 1% of the population of Pakistan — that's 3.5M out of a total population of 251.3M.
Where do most immigrants in Pakistan come from?
Most immigrants in Pakistan come from Afghanistan, India and China — these three countries account for about 100% of all immigrants.
How many Afghans live in Pakistan?
Around 1.9M Afghans live in Pakistan — about 54% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Pakistan growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Pakistan has changed from 3.4M to 3.5M, about 3%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Pakistan come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Pakistan. Their children born in Pakistan are not included.
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Living in Pakistan
See the full country overview