New Policy from IT Ministry to Help Freelancers Earn $5 Billion Each Year
The Ministry of IT and Telecom has sent the National Freelancing Support Policy to the Federal Cabinet for approval.
After talking with many people involved, the policy wants to make Pakistan a top place for freelancers worldwide. It hopes to increase exports and how much money the country gets from other countries.
The IT Ministry says the policy will help freelancers find work in other countries. They’ll have a good marketing plan to help them. The policy also suggests giving benefits to freelancers to help the freelancing industry grow. They want to increase the number of freelancers to one million and raise how much money they make each year to $5,000 on average.
If this happens, Pakistan could get $5 billion from other countries, which is a lot of money.
Some important parts of the policy include making a website where freelancers can register. This website will help them find work in Pakistan and other countries, and it will also help them deal with the rules. The policy also suggests having clear rules and ways to handle money, like online banking and payments. Freelancers might also get help with taxes and be able to borrow money easily.
The policy focuses on making Pakistan ready for digital work and helping people learn new skills. They want to train people better to make them more skilled. They plan to give extra help to places in Southern Balochistan that don’t have as much support.
They also suggest having a special place where freelancers can go for help, making it easier to get visas and use online banking. Banks are asked to open special branches in six cities to help freelancers. The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and other groups will work together to give loans without needing anything as a guarantee, and they’ll help freelancers get insurance for health, life, and work.
The policy plans to keep freelancers from paying income tax until 2030 if they register. They will start new training programs and give certifications in technology. They want to make it easier for freelancers to get money from other countries without paying taxes on it. They also want freelancers to be able to open bank accounts in foreign currency and keep more than half of their money from other countries in these accounts.
The PSEB will work with the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Board of Revenue to make sure freelancers don’t have to pay taxes on money from other countries until 2030.
