Labour Market Integration of Syrian Refugees in Germany and Turkey: Challenges and Prospects

While the timing and the magnitude of refugee inflows that Germany and Turkey have faced differ, both countries received substantial refugee populations and now host the largest number of Syrian refugees in their respective regions. Now that it is clear that prospects of return in the near future are dim for the majority of refugees, the two countries face similar challenges in fostering the inclusion of refugees into their societies, economies and polities. This paper examines the ways in which the two states have adjusted their respective legal, political, and institutional frameworks so as to facilitate refugees’ access to employment and their participation in the labour market, identifies some preliminary outcomes, and draws lessons for meeting pending challenges.

Revised and updated version of a paper presented at the seminar “What Happens after Finding Refuge? The Integration of Syrian Refugees in Germany and Turkey”, Berlin, 8 May 2017.