Abstract: Worldwide, as of 2016, 65 million people have been displaced from their homes, the highest level ever recorded. Moreover, Turkey is now home to the largest refugee population in the world. As of August 2016, the number of registered Syrian refugees (officially referred to as Syrians under Temporary Protection by the relevant Turkish regulation, 2014/6883) is recorded as 2,724,937. The integration of Syrians into the Turkish economy has so far been through human interaction rather than policy design. A long-term, sustainable framework of integration for Syrian workers and entrepreneurs is still missing as we near the fifth anniversary of the refugee influx. However, recently, the Turkish government’s policy position on the Syrian population has gradually begun evolving from one of ‘hospitality’ to one of ‘integration’. In this piece we outline the current state of play in terms of economic integration and list potential areas of intervention for local, national and international actors.
About the Author:
Timur Kaymaz is a Project Manager at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey’s (TEPAV) Area Studies Programme and its Innovation Studies Programme. His work focuses on regional development and economic integration issues, both within Turkey and in the wider neighborhood. Timur also coordinates TEPAV’s project portfolio and policy initiatives on the economic integration of Syrian refugees. You can follow him @tmrkymz.
About the Author:
Omar Kadkoy is a Research Associate at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey’s (TEPAV) Area Studies Programme. Born and raised in Damascus, Omar migrated to Turkey in 2012 as internal conflict escalated. At TEPAV, his work focuses on the economic and social integration of Syrian refugees, especially in areas of education, housing and labour market. You can follow him @OmarKadkoy.