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OĞUZHAN ÖMER DEMIR AND M. ALPER SOZER
An irregular migrant stays in Turkey on average 37 days, whereas the duration of stay for remittance senders is about one year (366 days). Moreover, the majority of remittance senders (63 percent) came to work and stay in Turkey. In addition, 87 percent reported that they work (or worked), which is apparently much higher than the full sample’s work experience (8 percent of the total reported any work experience). Their work experiences range from a construction worker to a salesperson, and from babysitting to street peddling. Slightly over half of all remittance senders (54 percent) stayed in an apartment. Only 7 percent reported that they stayed in a temporary place such as a hotel room, which is considered to be a classic accommodation facility for irregular migrants (table 24.3). Unlike the full sample, the majority of remittance senders (75 percent) reported that they had family members in their homelands. Most of our subjects had a kind of family tie with their countries. A younger Afghan immigrant who has been living in Turkey for almost two years explained why and how he sent remittances to his homeland: I had a carpet store in Afghanistan with a good business partner. We were making good money. In the meantime, I got married. Although we had years of successful business, then we could not manage it financially. Our business was bankrupted. I was full of debts. My brothers were in Turkey at that time. I decided to go to Turkey. I am here almost for two years. I knew Pakistani, Afghani, and English languages. I found many jobs here. I sold clothes. I worked as a salesperson in Grand Bazaar, because I was communicating with foreign tourists very well. Then I worked in a fabric store. In short, I worked in many places with my brothers to pay my debt back. I sent money to my family many times. I did not use banks to transfer money. The easiest way was to find a trusted friend who was going to Afghanistan. Until now, I could pay all my debt. I plan to bring my family here to Turkey if I can get a residence permit.
A younger Afghani immigrant, who was deported twice and captured a third time by the police, explained why he has to send money to his country: My family lives in Afghanistan. I have seven sisters and brothers. Two of them have jobs and can afford their lives. However, others are students and they are dependent on me. I have to work and send money for their expenses. I worked in a restaurant for a long time in Turkey. I send money through bank transfer. Now I am about to be deported, and I have nothing, barely no money!
A Myanmar immigrant mentioned why he sent remittance to his homeland as follows: “I work for a textile company and I make almost $400 every month in Turkey. My parents were passed away and I have only a sister in my homeland. I send money to her whenever I find a trusted person going back to my country.” One can ask why one-fourth of remittance senders transfer money to their homelands, despite having no family members there. Our interviews indicate that some of those senders have debts or planned investments in their countries. An elderly irregular immigrant from Turkmenistan living in Turkey for over two years explained his remittance experiences: