Employment promoters urged to help skilled workers

The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) has launched engagement sessions with licensed overseas employment promoters (OEPs) to facilitate safe, legal and dignified opportunities for skilled workforce.

More than 75 OEPs from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Mardan, Quetta, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Lahore, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Multan, Toba Tek Singh, and Rahim Yar Khan were briefed on the Parwaaz Card eligibility criteria, application procedures, verification, financing and the roles of various stakeholders.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairperson of the Punjab Chief Minister's Taskforce for Skill Development, Adnan Afzal Chattha, said the government was prepared to tap international markets where demand for skilled workers was growing, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Malaysia. "We encourage overseas employment promoters to expand ethical recruitment opportunities for our youth, and the government will continue to facilitate this collaboration," he said.

The Parwaaz Card scheme aims to provide financial support to skilled workers across Punjab to meet pre-departure expenses after securing overseas job offers.

The initiative is designed to remove financial barriers to migration and enable young people to access safe and legal employment opportunities in priority sectors, including construction, hospitality and healthcare.