Country Hiring Guide

Discover & Hire Top Talents in Pakistan

Everything you need to know about the country's employment laws, culture, and workforce insights.

Capital

Islamabad UTC+5

Economic Hubs

Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad

Currency

Pakistan Rupee (PKR)

Languages

Urdu, English

Payroll

monthly

Employer Tax

11.00% + variable

Workforce Insights

Talent Landscape in Pakistan

Pakistan has an estimated labor force of about 85.2 million (2025), with talent demand concentrated in textiles, information technology services, financial services, manufacturing and agriculture. International employers are most likely to find relevant candidate pools for Software Development, Digital Marketing, and Textile Engineering. The market can support multi function teams, with the deepest specialist pools usually concentrated in established commercial and technical centers.

Major Economic Hubs

Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad

Skills In-Demand

Software Development

Working Culture

Biradari, Networks and Trust

Personal and family networks can influence how trust is established in Pakistani business. A respected introduction and consistent relationship management often help more than a purely transactional approach.

Formal Hierarchy with Private Candour

Job titles and seniority matter, particularly in traditional companies. Junior employees may share their real concerns more openly in private, so managers should create confidential channels for feedback.

Ramadan and Provincial Diversity

Working patterns can shift during Ramadan, and business culture differs across Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other regions. National managers should adapt communication and scheduling to local realities.

Average Salary

Job Title	Avg Monthly Salary (PKR)
Accounting & Finance
Administrative Executive, Junior (1-3 years)	67,000 PKR	S$91,120
Administrative Executive, Mid (3-5 years)	89,300 PKR	S$121,448
Book Keeper, Junior (1-3 years)	60,100 PKR	S$81,736
Book Keeper, Mid (3-5 years)	81,600 PKR	S$110,976
Finance Executive, Junior (1-3 years)	77,300 PKR	S$105,128
Finance Executive, Mid (3-5 years)	101,400 PKR	S$137,904
Creatives
Graphic Designer, Junior (1-3 years)	77,300 PKR	S$105,128
Graphic Designer, Mid (3-5 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
UI/UX Designer, Junior (1-3 years)	81,600 PKR	S$110,976
UI/UX Designer, Mid (3-5 years)	141,700 PKR	S$192,712
Data Analytics
Data Analyst, Junior (1-3 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
Data Analyst, Mid (3-5 years)	146,000 PKR	S$198,560
Data Engineering
Data Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
Data Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	180,400 PKR	S$245,344
AI & Machine Learning
Data Scientist, Junior (1-3 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
Data Scientist, Mid (3-5 years)	150,300 PKR	S$204,408
Machine Learning Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	94,500 PKR	S$128,520
Machine Learning Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	141,700 PKR	S$192,712
Digital Marketing
Content Marketing, Junior (1-3 years)	90,200 PKR	S$122,672
Content Marketing, Mid (3-5 years)	133,100 PKR	S$181,016
Digital Marketing, Junior (1-3 years)	90,200 PKR	S$122,672
Digital Marketing, Mid (3-5 years)	133,100 PKR	S$181,016
Growth Marketing, Junior (1-3 years)	94,500 PKR	S$128,520
Growth Marketing, Mid (3-5 years)	141,700 PKR	S$192,712
Software Development
Backend Developer, Junior (1-3 years)	116,000 PKR	S$157,760
Backend Developer, Mid (3-5 years)	171,800 PKR	S$233,648

Job Title	Avg Monthly Salary (PKR)
DevOps
DevOps Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
DevOps Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	150,300 PKR	S$204,408
Site Reliability Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	111,700 PKR	S$151,912
Site Reliability Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	158,900 PKR	S$216,104
Customer Support
Customer Service Officer, Junior (1-3 years)	55,800 PKR	S$75,888
Customer Service Officer, Mid (3-5 years)	73,000 PKR	S$99,280
Customer Experience
Customer Success Manager, Junior (1-3 years)	81,600 PKR	S$110,976
Customer Success Manager, Mid (3-5 years)	116,000 PKR	S$157,760
HR Operations
HR Executive, Junior (1-3 years)	73,000 PKR	S$99,280
HR Executive, Mid (3-5 years)	98,800 PKR	S$134,368
FinTech
Blockchain Developer, Junior (1-3 years)	90,200 PKR	S$122,672
Blockchain Developer, Mid (3-5 years)	133,100 PKR	S$181,016
Payments Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	90,200 PKR	S$122,672
Payments Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	120,200 PKR	S$163,472
Cloud Computing
Cloud Engineer, Junior (1-3 years)	103,100 PKR	S$140,216
Cloud Engineer, Mid (3-5 years)	150,300 PKR	S$204,408

Hiring Guide

Hiring Guide in Pakistan

This guide highlights the fundamental rules employers must know to hire compliantly, covering pay structures, leave policies, termination procedures, and compliance requirements.

For details, browse the topics through the tabs below.

Payroll in Pakistan

Payroll Cycle

Salary is typically paid on the last working day of the month or within the statutory deadline after the wage period.

Minimum Wage

Minimum wages are set by province or territory and may also vary by worker category. The employee’s work location determines the applicable rate.

Overtime Pay

- Common limits are 8 to 9 hours per day and 48 hours per week, depending on the provincial shops, establishments or factories law. - Use the applicable provincial law because labour regulation is largely devolved.

- Covered-worker overtime: Ordinary Hourly Rate × 2.00 × Overtime Hours. - Confirm the applicable provincial law.

Bonus

13th Month

Pakistan does not impose a general statutory 13th month salary on private sector employers. Private sector employees therefore have no automatic entitlement to an additional annual salary unless a binding employment contract, collective agreement, wage order, employer rule, or special sector law provides one.

No statutory private sector calculation applies. Where a binding instrument grants an annual bonus or 13th salary, the amount must be calculated under that instrument; there is no legal default that it equals 1 month of salary.

No private sector employee in Pakistan qualifies automatically under the general labour law. Eligibility is limited to employees expressly covered by the applicable contract, collective agreement, wage order, employer rule, or special sector provision. The general law does not prescribe a universal minimum service period, prorating method, payment deadline, or entitlement after resignation or dismissal for a 13th salary. Those points must be determined from the specific binding instrument. Statutory leave pay, severance, end of service benefits, profit sharing, and public sector payments are separate benefits and should not be recorded as private sector 13th month salary unless the local rule expressly treats them that way.

Employees Benefits

Types of Benefit	Details
Mandatory
Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), provincial social security and workers’ welfare obligations	The core employer obligation in Pakistan is registration and payroll remittance under Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), provincial social security and workers’ welfare obligations. This is not a general allowance: it is the named statutory arrangement for the pension, retirement, unemployment, medical or related branches stated in the programme title. Coverage must be checked against establishment size, employee status, nationality and earnings limits, and contributions must be paid to the relevant authority by its filing deadline.
Work injury protection under Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), provincial social security and workers’ welfare obligations	In Pakistan, occupational injury protection is tied to Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), provincial social security and workers’ welfare obligations. The employer must complete the applicable registration or insurance arrangement before exposure begins, report workplace accidents within the legal deadline, and fund the employer portion. Benefits generally cover treatment, temporary incapacity, permanent disability and survivor payments, but the responsible institution and assessable wage follow the local scheme.
Statutory termination or end of service entitlement in Pakistan	Covered workers may receive gratuity of 30 days’ wages for each completed year of service, or for a period exceeding six months, unless the employer operates an approved provident fund that lawfully substitutes for gratuity. Applicability varies by province, establishment and worker category.
Public healthcare or mandatory medical coverage in Pakistan	Provincial social security institutions such as PESSI and SESSI provide medical care and cash benefits to registered secured workers and eligible dependants. The employer generally pays the provincial social security contribution, commonly 6 percent of the notified contribution wage, but the wage base and coverage threshold differ by province.
Optional
Supplementary private medical insurance in Pakistan	Private medical insurance in Pakistan should be designed around the gaps left by Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), provincial social security and workers’ welfare obligations. Employers commonly add faster outpatient access, private hospital treatment, dental, optical, mental health and dependant cover. The policy remains optional unless a visa, emirate, collective agreement or sector rule makes insurance compulsory, and any taxable benefit treatment should be processed through payroll.
Performance or profit sharing bonus in Pakistan	Cash bonuses are commonly used for performance or festival periods, but they are not a substitute for statutory EOBI, provincial social security or gratuity obligations. The plan should define whether the payment forms part of wages for payroll tax, provident fund or gratuity calculations.
Meal, commuting and business travel support in Pakistan	Fuel, transport and meal allowances are common salary components, especially for field and sales roles. The employer should state whether each amount is a fixed taxable allowance or a reimbursement against receipts because this can affect payroll tax and the wage base used for some employment benefits.
Housing, relocation and remote work support in Pakistan	Housing, utilities and relocation support are common for senior, mobile and expatriate employees. The package should separate employer leased accommodation from a cash allowance, state any recovery on early resignation and reflect the correct taxable value in payroll.

Taxes

Country Tax

Pakistan's country tax is known as Sales Tax, standard rate 18%

Individual Tax

Tax Component	Contribution Rate (%)	Details
Income Tax Structure
Resident Tax Rates	Up to 35% for salaried individuals plus possible surcharge	Pakistan applies Up to 35% for salaried individuals plus possible surcharge to taxable employment income. The employee’s final liability depends on taxable pay, permitted deductions or credits, and any local surtaxes stated in the cited source.
Non-Resident Employment Income	Up to 35% for salary income	Nonresidents are taxed on Pakistan sourced salary income under the applicable salaried individual rates, subject to treaty relief.
Taxable Income Adjustments
Main Deductions and Allowances	See details	An amount computed by multiplying 60,000 by the number of children of the individual In general, taxpayers may deduct all expenses (excluding personal or capital expenditures) incurred in carrying on a business in Pakistan, provided that the expenses were incurred wholly and exclusively for a business purpose and proper withholding was made with respect to such expenses.
Taxable & Exempt Components
Bonuses and Cash Allowances	Generally taxable at marginal employment rate	In Pakistan, cash salary, commissions, performance bonuses, and recurring cash allowances are generally taxable employment income and subject to payroll withholding at the applicable marginal rate unless a specific statutory exemption applies.
Benefits in Kind	Taxable value at marginal rate where applicable	In Pakistan, employer provided housing, vehicles, meals, insurance, equity, and other noncash benefits may be taxable under local valuation rules. Business reimbursements and de minimis exemptions require local support.

More Countries

Explore hiring in other countries

Indonesia

CapitalJakarta

Employers Tax10.24% – 11.74%

Employers Tax13.95% – 14.95%

Employers Tax7.75% – 17.25%

Australia

CapitalCanberra

Employers Tax12.00% + variable

Bahrain

CapitalManama

Employers Tax7.20% – 18.00%

Bangladesh

CapitalDhaka

Employers TaxVariable

Brunei

CapitalBandar Seri Begawan

Employers Tax8.50% – 10.50% or BND 57.50

Employers Tax5.00% + variable

India

CapitalNew Delhi

Employers Tax15.75% + variable

Israel

CapitalJerusalem

Employers Tax17.01% – 20.10%

Japan

CapitalTokyo

Employers Tax16.46% – 25.21%

Employers Tax17.50% – 22.50%

Kuwait

CapitalKuwait City

Employers Tax0.00% – 11.50%

Employers Tax12.50% – 14.50%

Nepal

CapitalKathmandu

Employers Tax20.00% or scheme specific

New Zealand

CapitalWellington

Employers Tax3.50% + variable

Employers Tax0.00% – 14.00%

Employers Tax10.53% – 29.12%

Sri Lanka

CapitalSri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Employers Tax15.00%

Thailand

CapitalBangkok

Employers Tax5.20% – 6.00%

Employers Tax12.00% – 25.00%

Employers Tax16.40% – 19.40%

Botswana

CapitalGaborone

Employers TaxVariable

Employers Tax13.95% – 17.20%

Chad

CapitalN'Djamena

Employers Tax16.50%

Democratic Republic of the Congo

CapitalKinshasa

Employers Tax14.20% – 16.20%

Employers Tax5.00% + variable

Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

CapitalYamoussoukro

Employers Tax15.45% – 18.45%

Kenya

CapitalNairobi

Employers Tax7.50% + variable

Lesotho

CapitalMaseru

Employers Tax1.00% + variable

Employers Tax10.00% + variable

Mali

CapitalBamako

Employers Tax17.90% – 20.90%

Employers Tax0.90% + variable

Employers Tax19.40% – 23.40%

Employers Tax2.00% + variable

Employers TaxAt least 22.50%

Employers Tax6.50% + variable

Zimbabwe

CapitalHarare

Employers Tax5.50% + variable

Employers Tax25.00% + variable

Bosnia and Herzegovina

CapitalSarajevo

Employers Tax0.00% – 6.00%

Bulgaria

CapitalSofia

Employers Tax18.92% – 19.62%

Employers Tax15.40% + variable

Employers TaxFixed amounts + variable

Employers Tax19.32% – 20.24% + variable

France

CapitalParis

Employers Tax25.00% – 45.00%

Employers Tax21.20% + variable

Employers TaxAt least 17.95%

Ireland

CapitalDublin

Employers Tax9.00% – 11.25%

Employers Tax7.20% + variable

Employers TaxAt least 12.57%

Employers TaxAt least 6.10% + variable

Employers Tax2.00% – 16.10% + variable

Poland

CapitalWarsaw

Employers Tax20.98% – 23.64%

Employers Tax2.25% – 10.25%

Employers Tax30.65% + variable

Employers Tax7.40% – 9.90% + variable

Ukraine

CapitalKyiv

Employers Tax8.41% – 22.00%

United Kingdom

CapitalLondon

Employers Tax18.00% – 18.50% + 15.00% on taxable benefits

Argentina

CapitalBuenos Aires

Employers Tax24.00% – 26.40% + variable

Employers Tax31.70% – 39.30%

Canada

CapitalOttawa

Employers Tax8.12% – 12.23% + variable

Chile

CapitalSantiago

Employers Tax5.87% – 6.47% + variable

Colombia

CapitalBogotá

Employers Tax30.02% – 36.46%

Costa Rica

CapitalSan José

Employers Tax26.83% + variable

Employers Tax11.15% + variable

CapitalGuatemala City

Employers Tax17.25% – 43.48% + 20.40% of UMA

Nicaragua

CapitalManagua

Employers Tax23.50% – 24.50%

Panama

CapitalPanama City

Employers Tax14.31% – 19.42%

Employers Tax9.75% + variable

Suriname

CapitalParamaribo

Employers Tax15.15% + variable

Trinidad and Tobago

CapitalPort of Spain

Employers TaxApproximately 8.80% + variable

United States

CapitalWashington, D.C.

Employers Tax8.25% + variable

Uruguay

CapitalMontevideo

Employers Tax12.60% + variable

Saudi Arabia

CapitalRiyadh

Employers Tax2.00% – 12.25%

United Arab Emirates

CapitalAbu Dhabi

Employers Tax0.00% – 15.00% + variable GCC rate

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Explore Pakistan's Employment Essentials

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