ASSESSING MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF MIGRATION POLICIES IN TÜRKİYE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the migrant policies implemented in Turkey and the phenomenon of migrant entrepreneurship from the perspective of these entrepreneurs. The literature on entrepreneurship mostly addresses the phenomenon of immigrant entrepreneurship with the understanding that “the law does not concern itself with trivial matters,” the “de minimis non curat lex” approach, and the existing policies in the countries where immigrants settle, and the legal regulations regarding the entrepreneurship of minorities are often overlooked. In this study, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 immigrant entrepreneurs operating in the Southeast Anatolia region, which has been heavily affected by Syrian migration. Content analysis revealed that participants defined migrant entrepreneurship in terms of family livelihood, security, opportunity, and independence, suggesting that policymakers should remove travel restrictions imposed on migrant entrepreneurs and ease bureaucratic hurdles, such as work permits and licenses. This study is expected to contribute to the literature on the definition of the concept of migrant entrepreneurship, the challenges encountered in specific policies, and potential solutions.