What the Parwaaz Card Pays For
The Parwaaz Card covers the documented costs of taking an overseas job: visa processing and stamping, medical examination, skill verification, Protectorate of Emigrants fees, the air ticket and the fees of a licensed overseas employment promoter. It does not fund job hunting, informal agent payments, family expenses or anything without a receipt.
Covered, with what you will need to show
| Cost | What it is | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Visa processing and stamping | Embassy and visa service charges for the work visa | Receipts and visa documents |
| Medical examination | Fitness test at an approved centre, required by most destination countries | Medical certificate and payment receipt |
| Skill verification | Trade test confirming you can do the job | Test certificate and receipt |
| Protectorate of Emigrants fee | Mandatory registration before departure | Protectorate receipt |
| Air ticket | Travel to the job | Ticket and invoice |
| Licensed promoter's fee | The legal service charge of a registered promoter | Receipt on letterhead with licence number |
The Parwaaz Card is designed to remove the upfront cost barrier to overseas employment, covering visa processing, medical checkups, skills verification, air tickets and the fees charged by registered overseas employment promoters, along with other approved pre-departure expenses. Because each item is an official, receiptable cost, the loan follows documents rather than cash in hand.
Not covered
- Payments to unlicensed agents, however they are described
- Money for finding a job, as opposed to taking one
- Visit, umrah or study visas
- Living expenses for the family left behind
- Debts you took on before applying
- Anything you cannot evidence with a receipt
How the money is said to reach you
PSDF's own scheme page sets out the split: 20% of the approved amount is released on approval, and the remaining 80% against receipts you upload for visa, promoter fees and the ticket. The Bank of Punjab is the lender and handles disbursement and repayment.
Confirmed by PSDF: 20% on approval, 80% against uploaded receipts.
Budgeting around the loan
Our read: the loan is built around the paperwork, not around the real cost of departure. Workers routinely spend on items the scheme does not list: a new passport, travel to a medical centre in another city, clothing and tools for the job, and the family's first month without the earner's income. Plan for those separately, because borrowing for them informally while repaying an interest-free loan is how people end up worse off than before.
| Often forgotten | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Passport issue or renewal | You |
| Travel and stay for medical or trade tests | You |
| Attestation of certificates | Usually you |
| First weeks abroad before the first salary | You |
| Family expenses during the gap | You |
Keep every receipt
Receipts are how the loan is justified, and they are also your defence if a promoter overcharges. Keep originals, photograph each one, and store the copies somewhere you can reach from abroad.
Common questions
Can I take the full Rs1 million if my costs are lower?
No. PSDF describes financing of between Rs300,000 and Rs1 million, set against your documented costs. The programme's own figures suggest most awards sit near the bottom of that range: Rs6.867 billion across 45,000 people averages about Rs153,000 each, so treat Rs1 million as a ceiling very few reach.
Can the employer deduct these costs from my salary too?
If the employer is paying a cost, you should not also be borrowing for it. Check the contract.
What if I spend less than approved?
Ask the bank how the unused portion is treated before you draw it.
See how repayment works, or return to the Parwaaz Card guide.Sources. Official: Punjab Skills Development Fund: Parwaaz Card (covered costs and the 20% / 80% release); PSDF, 23 Jun 2026 (budget and loan range). News: ARY News, 11 Sep 2026 (covered costs); Business Recorder, 10 Jun 2026 (pre-departure purpose); Dawn, 25 Jun 2026.
SchemesPK is an independent guide and is not affiliated with PSDF, the Bank of Punjab or the Government of Punjab.