The Regional Economic Effects of Immigrant Labor Force Granted Work Permit in Türkiye

Authors : Uğur Erdem, Tuba Şahinoğlu

Pages : 2150-2170

Doi:10.15869/itobiad.1766485

View : 134 | Download : 353

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The global increase in international migration and its significant impacts are keeping migration debates current. International migration, the vast majority of which occurs for economic reasons, impacts both destination and source countries economically, socially, politically, and culturally. The regional variation in international migrant workers arriving in Türkiye, with their concentration in industrial and tourist cities, further enhances the importance of analyzing regional impacts. In this context, this study aims to determine the relationship between the number of migrant workers granted work permits in Türkiye and unemployment, inflation, economic growth, and per capita income at the regional level. In models using panel data analysis, the period 2011-2019 was selected due to the limited data available and the publication of regional macroeconomic variables until 2019. Furthermore, because the number of migrant workers granted work permits is published on a provincial basis, these data have been converted to regional data. The series for the relevant period consist of annual data and examine the relationship between the number of migrant workers granted work permits and regional macro variables in 26 regions. There are a limited number of studies in the literature on the economic impact of migrant workers who are granted work permits at the regional level. Therefore, this study is considered original and will make a significant contribution to the literature. According to the findings obtained from Panel Data Analysis, an increase in the number of migrant workers granted work permits at the regional level increases the regional GDP rate, regional unemployment rate, regional inflation rate, and regional per capita income. Reducing the number of unskilled migrant workers and encouraging skilled migrant workers in Türkiye is crucial, as the number of migrant workers increases regional unemployment and inflation rates. The fact that migrant workers increase regional unemployment while simultaneously boosting economic growth stems from the employment of migrant workers in so-called secondary market jobs that no one wants.
Keywords : Göç, Uluslararası İş Gücü Göçü, Büyüme, İşsizlik, Panel Regresyon Analizi

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