Turkish firms not keen on hiring expats

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Out of 500 employers surveyed by the Manpower Group in Turkey, 415 said they would rather not hire foreigners.

Only 17 percent of Turkish companies choose to employ foreign workers, which is below the 24 percent global average and the European average of 19 percent, according to a new study by the global recruitment and workplace consulting firm Manpower Group.

The study, which interviewed over 25,000 employers in 39 different countries, surveyed over 500 employees in Turkey. Accordingly, of these 500 employers, 415 said they would prefer not to hire foreign employees.

According to the study, Turkey’s restaurant and hotel sectors employ the most foreign nationals at 36 percent, with the largest number being employed on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. As for the most preferred foreign employees, Russia tops the list at 34 percent, followed by Germany at 15 percent and Ukraine at 13 percent.

The employment of foreigners in Turkey is impeded by language and cultural assimilation barriers, as well as visa-related and legal obstacles, according to the Manpower Group.

Separately, the study found that 30 percent of global employers found China to be a threat to their national economies, while only 19 percent of Turkish employers feared China. While the United States was cited as the second largest threat to local economies worldwide, Turkish employers listed countries like India, Russia and Germany as the bigger threats.

Meanwhile, 64 percent of Turkish employers said Turkish citizens looking for work abroad created negative repercussions in the local employment sector.

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