Since the 1980s, Turkey has been opening itself to the world through its modern economic and political policies. Despite ups and downs, it has been a consistent trend. A significant indicator of the openness of a country is the foreigners' and noncitizens' interest in the country in terms of visiting, traveling, trading, studying, working and, of course, residing. When assessed by these criteria, Turkey has quite impressively opened itself to the world over the past few decades.
According to the Interior Ministry's immigration office, as of 2018, Turkey has become home to more than 4.3 million foreigners. When we assess the details of this huge foreign population, more than 3 million Syrians in addition to 300,000 from other countries make up the biggest portion.
These figures demonstrate that the country is a pioneer in migration and humanitarian aid. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2016, the country, for the third consecutive year, continued to host the largest number of refugees in the world. As soon as the brutal offensive of the Bashar Assad regime started against its own people in 2012, Turkey implemented an open-door policy which turned the country into one of the major sanctuaries for the war-torn poor people of Syria.
Turkey becoming an immigration hub
But foreigner existence in Turkey is not limited to humanitarian affairs. An additional 1 million people from all over the world are living and residing in Turkey with diverse aims. More than 1 million migrants are living, traveling, staying, working, trading, studying or just enjoying the country.
Anatolia has been a hub for migrating masses, a sanctuary for refugees and an open arena for cultural interaction throughout history. Up to modern Turkey, these fertile lands have hosted countless migration waves of people from Europe, Asia and Africa. It seems the country is reclaiming its status as a historic immigration hub again over the last few decades.
The first reason for this change is economic. With the country's economic and social prosperity, Turkey is an attractive center for people in the region, both as a place for working and for business.
Turkey has several geostrategic advantages in terms of attracting economic migration. First, it is in the cross section of the Asian and European continents. Second, it is close to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Northern Africa. Third, the country is a symbol of political and economic stability in the region.
Specifically, Istanbul, with its population of 15 million, is critical in this perspective. Some say that 140 countries are being administered from Istanbul. The Asia, Africa and Middle East regional offices of most multinational companies are located in Istanbul. Istanbul is an attraction center for its convenient infrastructure, accessible position, vivid business life, advanced financial markets and the modern lifestyle of the population. Undoubtedly, Istanbul is the Paris or London of the Middle East.
Attracting Qualified Labor and Investments to Turkey
Turkey is implementing some new policies for attracting qualified labor for its economy. The turquoise card, for instance, very similar to the U.S. green card, tries to attract qualified labor. Foreigners whose applications are accepted as appropriate with regard to their educational level, professional experience and contribution to science and technology effect of their in-country activities or investments in Turkey's economy and employment are being granted turquoise cards. Turquoise cards ensure the cardholders the right to work permanently in Turkey, including the right of residence for his/her spouse and children.
Additionally, the Investment Support and Promotion Agency (ISPAT) of the Prime Ministry is actively working to attract international direct investment to the country. ISPAT supports high-technology, value-added and employment-generating investments with its facilitation and follow-up services during whole processes of relevant investments. As a country deeply wounded from hot money flows during the '90s and early 2000s, the country is aiming to attract material investments rather than liquid transfers. The agency has done quite impressive work in recent years. For instance, the agency was able to convince the world's leading Chinese automotive company DFM (Dongfeng Motor Corp.), Korean steel giant POSCO, Chinese conglomerate Shangtex Corp. and Shanghai-based energy giant TBEA SunOasis to choose Turkey as a base for their investments in the region.
Anatolia's natural beauty
Another advantage of the country is its beauty. People come to Turkey as tourists, fall in love with the natural beauty, the culture and the society and, of course, with the food. Many Russians, Germans and Britons are deciding to reside and live out the rest of their lives in this earthly heaven.
Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning statistics show that 150,000 foreigners have bought real estate, especially flats and detached houses, in Turkey so far. The overwhelming majority of foreign-bought real estate is in Istanbul, Aydın, Muğla and Antalya, in other words from the provinces known for their natural beauty. The total value of real estate bought since 2013 is TL 18.3 billion ($5 billion). In addition to Europeans, people from Gulf states and Arabian countries have also been interested in this market in the recent years.
Overall, Turkey is becoming attractive for foreigners in the recent decades. Literally, Anatolia is again being filled by the world and becoming home to the world. The country is attracting attention not just with its generous hospitality toward refugees, but also with its economic and cultural potential. Being an attraction for foreigners is almost a universal indicator that a country is on its way to being more prosperous. Yet, in order to take full advantage of this trend, Turkey has to ensure two major points: First, it needs to strengthen its capability to manage and utilize migration to the country. Second and as a basic prerequisite, the political and economic stability of the country needs to be further strengthened by upholding democracy and the rule of law as main principles.