By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK (TURKISH JOURNAL) – Turkey is fast becoming the newest ‘melting pot’ on the cusp of its Middle Eastern and Balkan neighbors.
The Turkish Labor and Social Security Ministry reported their agency granted over 87,000 work permits to foreign nationals in 2017, according to the most current data compiled by Anadolu Agency. At least 24 percent of those were given to Syrian citizens, the largest single group to receive work permits.
An estimated 21,000 Syrians began working in Turkey last year followed by Georgians with 7,317 work permits granted, Kyrgyzstan nationals with 6,360, Ukrainians with 5,761, and Chinese with 4,288.
On the whole for 2017, the overall number of work permits granted last year rose from the year 2016, when the ministry granted 73,584 work permits to foreign nationals.
This data is just the tip of the iceberg as Turkey is fast becoming ‘the go-to’ nation for foreign entrepreneurs with Istanbul topping the list of the most coveted city to live in.
There are several reasons why Turkey is on the list of many foreign nationals and a major one is its close proximity to a host of home nations for those foreign nationals whose nations remain in active conflict or whose unemployment rates are so high that it’s no longer viable to remain in those countries.
Another reason Turkey is on the foreign national radar is the fact that though the country still has a rather ‘iffy inflation’ status, prices are still much lower overall than many other neighboring or western nations and much more affordable for groups and families who prefer to live together.
But probably the most important reason is that the current Turkish government has made it a whole lot easier for foreign nationals who qualify, to receive work permits in large part due to a vocational specialty they may possess or because they may be bringing in large sums of money if they are well off, which can positively impact the economy.
With a huge, still expanding construction boom and an ubiquitous amount of diverse entrepreneurs in the arts, technology, food and construction industry, one thing is clear – Turkey will continue to be a haven for those foreign nationals who prefer a new life in a city known for centuries as welcoming to its ‘yabanci’ or foreign populace.
