New Country Dossier Published: Examining the Aspirations and Trajectories of Migrants in Turkey
As part of the EU-funded research project GAPs (Decentring the Study of Migrant Returns and Readmission Policies in Europe and Beyond), a new report titled “Return Aspirations and Trajectories of Migrants - WP7 Country Dossier Turkey” has been published. Authored by Susan B. Rottmann, Maissam Nimer, N. Ela Gökalp Aras, Umutcan Yüksel, and Hakan Ünay, this report sheds light on the complex migration dynamics in Turkey, a critical hub for global migration flows.
Turkey: A Migration Crossroads
Turkey currently hosts over 2.9 million Syrians under temporary protection, approximately 150,000 Afghans, and smaller populations from Sudan, Iraq, and Palestine. These migrants face varying levels of legal recognition and integration opportunities, shaped by geopolitical and historical contexts, as well as the Syrian Civil War and ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan.
While Syrians benefit from temporary protection, they grapple with legal and social vulnerabilities that pressure their return. Afghans, on the other hand, encounter Turkey's heightened securitization measures, such as increased border controls, deportations, and pushbacks, often at the expense of human rights and due process. Both groups share experiences of exploitation, limited access to legal employment, and precarious legal status, leading to fear, stigma, and discrimination.
Integration Challenges and Migrant Agency
The report emphasizes the significance of tailored policies to support migrant integration and calls for urgent measures to address gaps in resources and opportunities. Migrants' agency remains a key theme, as they navigate complex migration and return pathways. By modeling their trajectories, the report highlights diverse experiences, including onward movements, temporary settlements, and conditional return aspirations.
Social networks emerge as a critical factor in migrants’ lives, providing essential support but also fostering disappointment when expectations go unmet. Political and economic factors heavily influence decisions about returning home or migrating to third countries, with many migrants expressing a willingness to return only under improved conditions in their home countries.
Turkey’s Role in Migration Governance
The report critiques the EU-Turkey Statement as a symbol of migration governance externalization, where Turkey acts as a buffer zone for migration to Europe. Financial and technical support from the EU has bolstered Turkey's return management infrastructure but also reinforced coercive practices, eroding migrants' and refugees' rights.
This dossier underlines the urgent need for balanced policies that prioritize migrants' dignity and human rights while fostering sustainable solutions for integration and return. By centering migrant perspectives and exploring their lived experiences, the report offers actionable insights into migration dynamics in Turkey and beyond.
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