ILO welcomes Turkey's decision to grant work permits to Syrian refugees

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has welcomed Ankara’s decision to grant work permits to refugees.

The Turkish government issued a decision on 15 January allowing 2.5 million Syrian refugees to apply for work permits.

ILO’s Country Director Numan Özcan welcomed the decision on Tuesday: “This will help move refugees to the formal economy, enabling them to build a decent life for their families and giving them an opportunity to contribute to our society.”

“Legal and formal work of refugees will lead to improved working conditions, allow social protection, and will benefit not only the refugees themselves but also labour markets and the economy,” he added.

Özcan stressed that his organisation stands ready to assist the Turkish government and social partners to turn this step into an opportunity for refugees and host communities to gain access to a “decent work and a decent life”.

Under the new law, Syrian citizens who have spent at least six months in Turkey will be able to apply for work permits in the provinces where they registered for asylum.