The Desire of Young People in Turkey to Live Abroad: An Analysis of Recent Surveys on Youth in Turkey

This IPM–Mercator analysis argues that the desire among young people in Turkey to live abroad is both widespread and intense, corroborated by official migration figures and recent youth surveys: TÜİK’s 2022 international migration statistics show emigration rising by 62.3% year-on-year to 466,914 people, with roughly 42% of emigrants aged 20–34. Focusing on migration intentions rather than realized moves, the report highlights survey evidence: a 2020 SODEV study finds 62.5% would like to live abroad if they had the means (higher among opposition voters but still substantial among AKP voters), and the 2021 KAS Turkey Youth Survey reports 72.9% expressing the same preference, with Europe as the most frequently desired destination.

Introduction

During the last few years, public discussion in Turkey has focused on the overwhelming desire of young people to live abroad, particularly in Global North countries. As there is rising interest in this topic,1 it is likely that we will continue to see a rising number of studies and debates on this topic in the near future.2 While this topic has long been a heated debate in other Southeastern European (SEE) countries, as migration from this region to Central Europe is relatively common,3 this is a new issue for Turkish society. The official statistics on international migration from Turkey in 20224 demonstrate that there is a rising trend in migration from Turkey. For example, the number of people who emigrated from Turkey increased by 62.3% in 2022 compared to the previous year, which brought this number to a total of 466,914 emigrants. Among this number, 139,531 were citizens of the Republic of Turkey, whereas 327,383 were foreign nationals. It was also observed that the tendency to emigrate is greater among youth and young adults. The highest share of those emigrating is among the 25–29 age group, 15.8% of all emigrants, followed by 13.4% from the 30–34 age group, and 12.8% from ages 20–24. In total, approximately 42% of those who emigrated in 2022 are in the 20–34 age group. Therefore, it is crucial to reflect upon the age and generation factor in this migration trend.

Concluding Remarks 

For a more thorough discussion of the question of what this desire to live abroad really means, it is important to underline the complexity of this desire, which becomes even more complicated considering the heterogeneity and intersectionality aspects of the youth category. What is certain is that we need further research on the topic and to introduce not only quantitative data but also in-depth qualitative data for discussing this complex phenomenon. Furthermore, since young people consistently point at a certain destination—i.e., Europe, with Germany at the top of the list—it is also important to study what Europe, as well as different European countries and the European Union, means to them. This requires in-depth, interdisciplinary research combining youth and European studies, among other fields.