Monthly expenditure of Syrians in Turkey nearly $344

Hacer Boyacıoğlu – ANKARA

Syrian asylum seekers and refugees in Turkey have a monthly expenditure of 2,061 Turkish liras (roughly $344), according to a recent study by the confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş).

Türk-İş’s research on the Syrian asylum seekers and irregular migrants currently residing in Turkey have revealed their economic situation and living expenses in the country.

When asked “to what extent can you meet your vital living needs,” some 39.9 of respondents said they categorize themselves as being in a financially “normal state.”

While some 36.9 percent of respondents said they are having a hard time making ends meet, 12.7 percent said they are “living comfortably.”

The study also revealed that 9.7 percent of the asylum seekers and migrants are “failing to make ends meet.”

Salaries below minimum wage

The union’s study also revealed the monthly expenditure of migrant households.

According to the research, some 20.6 of the respondents have a monthly expenditure of at most 1,000 liras (around $167).

While 40.7 percent said their households’ monthly expenses reach 2,000 liras, some 20.1 percent said the figure is between 2,001 and 3,000 liras (between $334-$501) for them.

Some 6.9 percent of respondents said their expenses are between 3,001 and 4,000 liras (nearly $668), some 4.9 percent said their outgoings exceed 4,000 liras.

The remaining 6.7 percent of respondents abstained from answering, the study showed.

Clandestine employment of migrants in SMEs

Türk-İş head Ergün Atalay said that small and medium sized enterprises in Turkey are known to employ Syrians and other asylum seekers on the fringes of the law.

He added that Syrians make up the majority of the clandestine employment along with Afghans, Pakistanis and migrants from Central Asian countries.

“It is known that in the labor markets, nearly all SMEs unofficially employ asylum seekers. The asylum seekers are working under hard conditions, with up to 14 working hours, without any social rights or security,” Atalay said.

He also said that migrants in Turkey are working for wages very much below the legal minimum wage.

“The public’s sensitivity for all informal workers, especially Syrians, is important,” he said.

“The loss of tax caused by clandestine employment further disrupts the already broken tax scheme, causing injustice,” he underlined.