Determining the motivations of qualified immigrants for settling in Turkey and re-immigration

This study addresses the phenomenon of qualified migration, which has gained visibility in the 21st century alongside globalization and regional crises. In the literature, migration studies generally concentrate on irregular labor and informal employment. On the other hand, studies addressing the experiences of the educated population moving under forced migration conditions are quite limited. The main objective of the research is to examine the social integration processes of qualified migrants living in Malatya, the structural barriers they encounter, and their motivations for remigration to a third country. Malatya, one of the socio-economically developed cities in the Eastern Anatolia Region, is a regional center of attraction for qualified migrants with İnönü University and Turgut Özal University. The educated population within these institutional structures provides a suitable field for examining the qualified migrant profile in a local context as a strategic human capital. The theoretical framework of the study consists of Neoclassical Migration, World Systems, Institutional Migration, Network, and Push-Pull Factors theories. Adopting the phenomenological design, which is one of the qualitative research methods, the study sampled 26 highly skilled migrant participants residing in Malatya. The data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted via a semi-structured interview form. The obtained data were conceptualized using the descriptive analysis technique and analyzed within the axis of the relevant migration theories. Within the scope of this thesis, structural and institutional limitations in the adaptation processes of highly skilled migrants have been revealed in detail. The most crucial finding of the research is that highly skilled migrants are perceived merely as 'migrants' in society, even if they possess professions such as doctors, engineers, etc. This situation prevents them from practicing their professions, leading to a severe loss of status. On the other hand, although the idea of moving to Western countries is always on their minds due to the economic difficulties and legal uncertainties in Türkiye, the fear of starting from scratch and the experienced migration fatigue leave these individuals in limbo between leaving and staying. The study concludes by offering institutional and economic policy recommendations to retain educated human resources in the country in line with the results obtained.