Formal Employment of Syrian Refugees in Turkish SMSEs: Employer Experience, Hiring Frictions, and Policy Priorities

Mpumelelo Nxumalo and Dhushyanth Raju

No 216013, The Social Policy and Labor Discussion Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Türkiye’s formal employment agenda for Syrian refugees increasingly depends on whether firms can translate legal access into registered jobs. A large-scale 2026 survey of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises finds a relatively small employer base but generally favorable experience among firms that have hired Syrian refugees. The main firm-side frictions are limited knowledge of formal employment requirements, procedural complexity, and weak links between recruitment and formal services. Firms with prior hiring experience are far more open to additional support than never-employers. Policy should simplify formal hiring pathways, strengthen matching, differentiate support by hiring history, and target firms and locations with credible labor demand.

Date: 2026-10-16
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