Pakistan earns $1.76bn freelancer export earnings in FY2025-26

Pakistani freelancers made a record $1.76 billion in export income in fiscal year 2025-26 ended in June, the country’s finance adviser said Sunday highlighting the fast growth of the country’s digital services sector in recent years.

In recent years, Pakistan has stepped up efforts to grow its digital economy by strengthening digital payment systems and providing skills development programs and incentives to its enormous pool of young, tech-savvy workers as it tries to diversify sources of foreign income.

Freelance export earnings of the country climbed 78 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to $1.76 billion in FY26, assistant to finance minister Khurram Schehzad said. In June alone freelancers earned US$164 million, up 69 per cent year on year.

In a post on X, Schehzad said: “Pakistan’s freelancers are now becoming a major source of foreign exchange earnings, high-value employment, innovation, and export diversification.

“This is a stellar performance and testament to the strength of Pakistan’s digital talent, entrepreneurial spirit and growing integration into the global digital economy,” he said.

Pakistan ranks 16th out of 193 nations in terms of labour cost, English proficiency, talent availability, digital infrastructure and stability in the 2026 Global Outsourcing Talent Index by Ataraxis.

According to Schehzad, the average per capita freelancer earning in Pakistan has jumped from roughly $12 a month in 2021 to nearly $53 a month in 2026, from an estimated 2.5-3 million freelancers.

This is a 4.4-fold increase during the past five years.