Employment promotion in Pakistan

Breaking Barriers © ILO

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The Pakistan Decent Work Country Programme (2016-2022) has its focus on creation of decent jobs for youth and vulnerable groups through development of inclusive federal and provincial policies, development of institutional mechanism for job creation and establishment of Labour Market Information and Analysis at federal and provincial levels.

Employment creation is primarily a function of private sector. However, the governments, both provincial and federal, indisputably have responsibilities to create enabling environment for businesses and industries to operate, to enhance employability of youth and vulnerable categories of workers and to develop all-inclusive skills development policies and programmes.


The DWCP (2016-2022) emphasizes on the following strategies, for example, for creation of decent jobs in Pakistan:
  • Design and roll out jobs creation strategies for youth and vulnerable categories of workers.
  • Support skills development and vocational training including life-long learning, for existing workers and new entrants to labour market;
  • Support enterprise development and self-employment opportunities through training, mentoring, access to finance and policy mechanisms;
  • Support apprenticeship and recognition of prior learning;
  • Strengthen the capacity of the ILO constituents to undertake Labour Market Information and Analysis.
  • Strengthen the capacity of labour departments to address labour market issues.


The ILO’s recent assistance to Pakistan employment promotion includes:
  • ILO supported National Skills Strategy and the review of National Apprenticeship Act.
  • In 2017-18, ILO supported the Prime Ministers’ Youth Programme to develop a National Youth Employment Strategy (N-YES).
  • In post-COVID-19 situation, ILO collaborated with National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to organize a webinar on 5th May 2020 to identify strategies for TVET in COVID-19 situation.
  • ILO supported Higher Education Commission (HEC) by imparting Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Training to staff of Business Incubation Centres (BIC) in nine (9) public sector Universities.
  • ILO is planning to support NAVTCC to adopt ‘Online TVET System’ through a hybrid approach.
  • Employment promotion in post-crises situations.
  • In post-COVID-19 situation, ILO, along with other UN agencies, supported the Planning Commission of Pakistan to develop ‘Socio-Economic Impact Assessment & Response Plan for Pakistan’ with focus on ‘Employment, Enterprise & Social Protection.