According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, more than 700,000 people left Turkey last year. This includes 55.2% men and 44.8% women. Among them, 291,377 were Turkish citizens, while 423,202 were foreigners.
Among those who moved from Turkey to other countries, 15% were in the 25-29 age group, followed by those in the 30-34 age group (12.9%) and the 20-24 age group (12.5%).
TurkStat data also showed that a total of 316,456 people moved to Turkey in 2023, down 35.9% from a year earlier. The group included 101,677 Turkish citizens and 214,779 foreigners.
While 12.7% of those who moved to Turkey last year were in the 20-24 age group, 10.8% were in the 25-29 age group and 10.3% were in the 15-19 age group.
Turkey’s business hub of Istanbul was the city that attracted and lost the largest number of people in 2023. According to TurkStat, 29.2% and 36.4% of the total moved to and from the city, respectively. Russians were the largest group among those who moved to and from Turkey last year.
More and more people are leaving Turkey either to avoid political persecution or for a better and safer life elsewhere due to the country’s economic and social issues.
Last year, Turkish citizens were the second largest group after Syrians seeking asylum in Germany. According to data from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 62,624 people lodged applications.
Since the failed coup in 2016, which led to a widespread crackdown on dissent by the Turkish government, the number of Turkish nationals seeking asylum in Germany and other Western European countries has seen a significant increase.
The ongoing economic crisis in Turkey, caused by skyrocketing inflation and the constant depreciation of the Turkish lira, is also prompting some Turks to seek ways to leave the country for a better life in Europe, the US, or Canada.
