The Impact of Economic and Institutional Factors on International Migration Flows: Evidence from Turkey

Abstract

International migration affects the economy, culture, and social life of the destination country. Internal conflicts and wars within countries especially compel people to migrate. Turkey is exposed to a heavy influx of migration as one of the countries most affected by this situation. In this context, the study addresses six different migrant groups: those migrating from Turkey and those migrating to Turkey, those migrating from Turkey to Europe and Asia, and finally, those migrating from Europe and Asia to Turkey. The study investigates economic factors influencing migration together with institutional effects. The results showed that while economic factors are more influential on migration from Turkey to European countries, institutional factors are determinative in migration from Europe to Turkey, and income is the primary determinant in migration from Asia. It was concluded that to strengthen its migration policies, Turkey should pay attention to institutional structures in addition to economic factors.

JEL: F22, O15.