Ankara – Details Press
<strong>In light of the wave of voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security has begun conducting a comprehensive field study to measure the impact of this return on the local labor market.
The study targets 11 Turkish provinces, including Gaziantep, Adana, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Mersin, Konya, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Şanlıurfa. Interviews will be conducted with more than 16,000 companies representing 17 vital economic sectors.
This step follows the return of more than 175,000 Syrian refugees since December 2024, following the political and security changes in Syria. Official data indicates that the total number of returnees since the start of voluntary return programs in 2017 has exceeded 915,000, while the United Nations announced the return of approximately 400,000 refugees from neighboring countries to Syria during the same period.
The Turkish Minister of Labor stated that “the study aims to understand the extent of the labor market vacuum and develop rapid solutions,” noting that “some sectors will be more affected than others.”
On the other hand, economic experts expect these changes to lead to:
– Higher wages for Turkish workers.
– Stimulating investment in technology.
– Opening new job opportunities for Turkish youth.
For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that “Turkey respects the choice of Syrians between staying or returning,” stressing that “his country will continue to provide support to refugees in both cases.” Turkish officials also revealed consultations with the Syrian side to organize the return movement and facilitate the reintegration of returnees.
In a related context, reports have shown that Syrians constitute a large portion of the labor force in Turkey, especially in the agriculture, construction, and industrial sectors. Approximately 100,000 Syrian workers are employed legally, while the number of unregistered workers is estimated at around 500,000. Some Turkish companies fear a labor shortage and increased operating costs resulting from this return, which could impact the prices of goods and services.
It’s worth noting that the number of Syrians subject to the “temporary protection” regime in Turkey has fallen to 2,797,000, the lowest number since 2016. The Turkish government is considering replacing this regime with a more stable one, such as the “Blue Card,” which would grant Syrians similar rights to Turkish citizens in employment and services without granting them citizenship.
These developments present the Turkish government with a dual challenge: maintaining labor market stability while capitalizing on reconstruction opportunities in Syria, at a time when estimates indicate that the mass return of refugees may continue over the next two years.
The question now arises: Will Turkey succeed in turning this challenge into an opportunity to reform the labor market? The answer may come with the results of the field study expected in the next few months.
