The Integration Process of Arab Migrant Workers into the Turkish Workplace in Istanbul

Abstract

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Migrant workers in host countries face a range of difficulties, such as language barriers and cultural differences in the workplace; however, their resilience shines as they come up with strategies to overcome these hurdles. Previous studies on migrant workers have usually considered voluntary and forced migrant workers separately, neglecting the influence of the migration context on their settlement experiences. This study adopted a comparative approach to look at the challenges and strategies employed by voluntary and forced migrant workers in Istanbul with the aim of understanding how different emigration contexts affect the challenges encountered in the workplace and how such challenges are navigated. Through interviews with 24 Arab migrant workers based in Istanbul (both voluntary and forced), this study identified three significant findings. First, both voluntary and forced migrants face challenges and use strategies across structural, cultural, interactive, and identificational dimensions when integrating into the workplace in Istanbul. Second, forced migrant workers encounter unique challenges, such as exploitation and discrimination, that are not experienced by voluntary migrant workers. Finally, a majority of workers follow the U-curve model during their workplace integration journey, which starts with an initial honeymoon stage followed by a crisis stage before eventually reaching recovery and adjustment levels. This paper provides insights for employers, HR professionals, and policymakers by examining the challenges faced by voluntary and forced migrant workers, as well as the strategies employed to cope with these challenges. It aims to foster an inclusive and supportive work environment for workers from diverse backgrounds.