Although the report noted that statistics on Turkey's migration flows were not solid in the absence of a direct and reliable database, results obtained from the official Employment Office point out that the number of contract workers sent out of the country saw an increase of 3 percent from 2008 to 2009 to reach almost 60,000 emigrants. The Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States were the two most preferred destinations for Turkish migrant workers in 2009, according to the report. The country also experienced a surge in the number of incoming foreign workers, as 9,300 new permits -- an increase of 32 percent compared to 2008 -- were issued in 2009.
The report also announced percentages on the nationality of resident foreigners in Turkey, with Azerbaijan leading the foreign community with 11 percent of foreigner's residing in Turkey, followed by the Russian Federation and Bulgaria with 8 percent each. Among the 17,500 work permit holders, the report cited that 11 percent are Russian, 7 percent German and 6 percent US citizens. Of the foreign students with student visas, 13 percent are Azerbaijani.
The report interpreted the decline in the number of apprehended irregular immigrants from 68,300 in 2008 to 34,300 in 2009, a drop of 50 percent, in connection with the elimination of visa requirements for citizens of Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Jordan.
Another sharp decrease was visible in the inflow of asylum seekers, who dropped from 13,000 to 7,800, but figures for the first half of 2010 reveal a return to the initial numbers, with half of asylum seekers applying from Iraq and a quarter from Iran. The report also indicates that most of these asylum seekers are going through Turkey on their way to Europe.
The 35 percent drop in remittances from $1.4 billion to $930 million was also considered within the context of the global economic crisis.
The report also commented on Turkey's migration policy, saying that developments are usually tied to the requirements and negotiations for European Union admission. As the EU accession process slows down, laws on asylum and aliens waiting to be presented to Parliament get stalled, the report concluded.
