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An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Syrian Refugees on the Turkish Labor Market

Author

Listed:
  • Suzuki, Ken

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Paul, Saumik

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Maru, Takeshi

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Kusadokoro, Motoi

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

Abstract

We examine the effects of the recent influx of Syrian refugees on the Turkish labor market. Exploiting this natural experiment, we estimated the causal impacts of involuntary migration on labor market outcomes. We selected the five refugee-hosting regions with the highest number of refugees as treatment regions and four comparable regions with a low refugee-to-population ratio as control regions. Using a difference-in-differences estimation, we found that informal Turkish workers in the refugee-hosting regions were about 4% more likely to leave their job than workers in regions that did not widely host refugees. Such negative impacts on labor market outcomes became larger in 2014–2015 compared with 2012–2013. Furthermore, while females and older workers withdrew themselves from the labor market, males and younger workers become unemployed after the refugee influx.

Suggested Citation

  • Suzuki, Ken & Paul, Saumik & Maru, Takeshi & Kusadokoro, Motoi, 2019. "An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Syrian Refugees on the Turkish Labor Market," ADBI Working Papers 935, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbiwp:0935
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    4. World Bank, 2009. "Female Labor Force Participation in Turkey : Trends, Determinants and Policy Framework," World Bank Publications - Reports 13249, The World Bank Group.
    5. Aysit Tansel & Elif Öznur Acar, 2017. "Labor mobility across the formal/informal divide in Turkey," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 44(4), pages 617-635, September.
    6. Evren Ceritoglu & H. Burcu Gurcihan Yunculer & Huzeyfe Torun & Semih Tumen, 2017. "The impact of Syrian refugees on natives’ labor market outcomes in Turkey: evidence from a quasi-experimental design," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-28, December.
    7. George J. Borjas, 2021. "The Labor Demand Curve Is Downward Sloping: Reexamining The Impact Of Immigration On The Labor Market," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foundational Essays in Immigration Economics, chapter 9, pages 235-274, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    refugee; migration; Syria; Turkey; difference-in-differences estimation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General

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