Travellers on labour visas bound for Gulf countries face a new financial burden: The federal government has mandated a fixed Federal Excise Duty of 5,000 rupees per air ticket.
The directive, outlined under clause (i) of sub-clause (b) of serial number 3 of Table 2 of the Federal Excise Act 2005, applies to air travel from Pakistan to member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Iraq.
To be eligible for this tax, the labour visa must be printed on the worker’s passport and certified by the Protector of Emigrants. This new excise duty aims to standardize tax collection amidst the significant number of Pakistani workers employed across these Gulf nations.
