Trapped in the underground economy: Syrian refugees in the informal labour market in Turkey

Vasja Badalič

Third World Quarterly, 2023, vol. 44, issue 5, 967-984

Abstract: By combining theories on informal work with data collected through interviews with 39 Syrian refugees, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the various factors driving Syrians, both ordinary workers and employers, into the informal labour market in Turkey. The study shows the differences between the factors pushing Syrian workers into the informal sector (eg administrative obstacles, monetary and non-monetary benefits, unfamiliarity with labour regulations) and the reasons why Syrian business owners and self-employed worked informally (eg the desire to hire Syrian workers, inability to comply with labour regulations, and fear of deportation). By focusing on the reasons behind Syrian employers’ decisions to remain in the informal sector, the article shows that such decisions were often based not on profit-seeking but on solidarity with fellow Syrians.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2023.2170224

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