Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya: "Türkiye is a Country that Sets a Model for the World in Migration Management."
29.04.2025
Speaking at the "Migration Management Model of Türkiye in the Century of Türkiye Program", which was held with the presence of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: "Türkiye is Implementing Brand New Practices That Set an Example for the World."
Our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said that the establishment anniversary of our Presidency of Migration Management is also celebrated with the anniversary of an understanding that institutionalizes conscience and compassion and focuses on human dignity. Our Minister Mr. Yerlikaya spoke as follows at the program held with the presence of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan:
"With the vision of Your Excellency, our Presidency of Migration Management, the foundations of which were laid 12 years ago, is a milestone in our state's works in the field of migration. As a result, with this vision, Türkiye has become a country that manages migration in an institutional sense. And today, our Presidency is implementing brand new practices that set an example for the world in the areas of regular migration management, combating irregular migration and migrant smuggling organizers, integrated border management, international protection, temporary protection, voluntary return and all other areas related to migration management."
"We Take Every Step in Migration Management Under the Guidance of Law, Compassion, Conscience and Our Civilization Values."
Stating that our country has been a safe harbour and shelter for people who have been uprooted from their homes, displaced from their homes and whose hopes have been taken away throughout history, our Minister of Interior Mr. Yerlikaya said: "Today, under the leadership of Your Excellency, our country continues to be the common conscience of humanity by representing justice, compassion and the ancient tradition of hospitality. Because we approach migration not only as a security issue, but also as a multifaceted phenomenon with humanitarian, sociological and international dimensions. Because we take every step under the guidance of law, compassion, conscience and our civilization values. While doing this, we meticulously maintain a balance that never compromises public order.”
"The World is Bigger than 5"
Our Minister of Interior Mr. Yerlikaya stated that while some countries are acting blind, deaf and rude towards migration crises, they have forgotten that migrants are human beings. Our Minister Mr. Yerlikaya continued as follows:
"While some countries consider them only as qualified and unqualified labour force, sink boats like spears piercing our hearts, and remain silent as many lifeless bodies wash up on the shores, Your Excellency made a call to conscience to the entire world. You said, ‘The world is bigger than 5’. You said, ‘Humanity's hopes of living in a more fair world are dying one by one’. You said, ‘Baby Aylan, whose tiny body washed up on the shore, is the shame of the modern world’. With this understanding, we have never turned our backs on those who are on the edge of oppression, hunger and war, in the geography of our hearts. We never ignored those screams. Because with the heritage we received from our ancestors, we have become a plane tree coolness for bodies burned by the scorching sun. We have become brothers and sisters who provide shelter in the pouring rain and warm hearts in the freezing cold. Because the leaven of Anatolian wisdom is kneaded by saying ‘We love the created, for the sake of the Creator’."
“We are implementing regulations that encourage and facilitate regular migration”
Stating that they have taken very important steps on migration management during the current cabinet period, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: "We have focused on works that encourage and facilitate regular migration within the framework of regular migration management. We want our country to be a centre of attraction for regular migrants such as tourists, international university students, needed labour and foreign investors. For us, it is essential that foreigners come to our country legally, stay legally, work legally and return to their countries legally."
Explaining the work and approaches carried out within the scope of the current regular migration management, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said the following:
"We have carried out very important works within the scope of regular migration. We facilitate the works and transactions of foreigners who come to our country legally for purposes such as tourism, education, health and work. As one of the main objectives of our migration management, we are implementing regulations that encourage and facilitate regular migration. In this context; residence permit applications can now be received through notary offices. We facilitate residence permits for the workforce that will work in home care services and encourage registered employment. Thus, we put home care services on a legal basis. We have made new arrangements in coordination with the relevant sectors and institutions in order to meet this need in areas where our country has an employment gap, taking measures in terms of public order and security. For example, we have implemented new practices in this context regarding residence and work permits for foreign shepherds who are needed for the development of animal husbandry.”
“We Are Opening Not Only Our Schools But Also Our Hearts to Our Student Brothers and Sisters Who Come to Our Country.”
Reminding that students can now carry out their residence permit transactions at their own universities without going to the Directorates of Migration Management, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: “As Your Excellency has stated; we are opening not only our schools but also our hearts to our student brothers and sisters who come to our country.”
Addressing the international university students in the hall, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: “Dear students, every step you take on the path of science here will not only beautify your own lives but also the future of humanity. You will be the new ambassadors of peace, justice and science in these lands that have hosted the greatest civilizations in history. Türkiye’s greatness comes not only from the lands it owns, but also from being a nation that has opened its heart to all humanity. And you, as ambassadors of this great nation, are taking part in this story.”
“Our country has ceased to be a target for irregular migration and a transit migration route. Thus, the irregular migration route has changed.”
Minister of Interior Mr Ali Yerlikaya underlined that the goal in the combat is to never allow the formation of a “power of attraction” towards Türkiye, and noted that they are implementing a strategy consisting of 5 steps for this purpose. Our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, explained this strategy as follows:
"While combating irregular migration, we are also fighting against transnational criminal networks that exploit people who have been forced to leave their homelands, disregard their lives and cross borders. We have never allowed our country to become an irregular migration route. With this understanding, we have implemented the necessary measures to solve the problem at its source, at the first stage. In the second stage, we have taken effective border security measures to ensure the highest level of protection of all our borders. Thirdly, we carried out effective interception within our country. For this purpose, we have developed our mobile migration point vehicles with an innovative approach. Our mobile migration point vehicles, which were put into service on 19 July 2023, are one of our most important practices that demonstrate to the whole world that the combat against irregular migration can be carried out both effectively and in accordance with human rights. In the first three months when we started identity checks with our mobile migration point vehicles, the rate of irregular migrants detected was 74.5 percent; this rate dropped to 2 percent in the last month. The fourth step involves combating irregular labour. In this context, we ensured system integration between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Presidency of Migration Management last year. Thus, we have taken very important steps to prevent the unregistered employment of foreigners. Fifthly and finally, we ensure that irregular migrants return to their countries through effective deportation mechanism. In the last 2 years, we have reached the highest number of deportations in our country."
Stating that the strategy to combat irregular migration has been successfully implemented, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: “In addition to our Presidency of Migration Management; thanks to the works we carry out in coordination with our police and gendarmerie within the country, coast guard in our blue homeland, our Turkish Armed Forces at our borders, our Ministries and all relevant institutions; thanks to the strategies implemented; our country has ceased to be a target for irregular migration and a transit migration route. Thus; the irregular migration route has changed.”
“We Never Allowed Xenophobia and Racism”
Our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said: "I would like to express with peace of mind that in the combat against irregular migration, as in all areas of migration management, we have never given up on human dignity and putting people first. We have never allowed xenophobia and racism. We have shown the whole world that irregular migration can be fought without compromising our public order and security."
“Türkiye is a Country That Sets a Model for the World in Migration Management.”
Our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya concluded his speech as follows: "We are also witnessing a historical period. A 61-year period of oppression has ended in Syria. Those ancient lands, which were crushed under the rubble of the Baath regime, are today on the verge of freedom, hope and rebirth. Thank God, Syria is getting back on its feet. And we have quickly made all necessary arrangements for the voluntary, safe, dignified and orderly return of our Syrian brothers and sisters. As Your Excellency has also stated, we are carrying out this process in a manner befitting the dignity of 14 years of hospitality, the elegance of our ancient culture, and the clarity of our conscience. All these innovations reveal our vision in migration management. With this understanding, Türkiye is a country that sets a model for the world in migration management. With these feelings and thoughts, I would like to express my gratitude to Your Excellency, the architect of this great vision and the Century of Türkiye".
“I Celebrate the 12th Establishment Anniversary of our Presidency of Migration Management”
Concluding his speech by celebrating the 12th establishment anniversary of our Presidency of Migration Management, our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya said the following: “I congratulate all members of our Presidency of Migration Management on its 12th establishment anniversary and congratulate them for their works. We have never given up defending humanity, following the truth and being on the right side of history, and we will never give up. With these feelings and thoughts, I greet you once again with love and respect.”
Türkiye Yüzyılı’nda Türkiye’nin Göç Yönetimi Modeli Programı’nın hayırlara vesile olmasını diliyorum.
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) April 28, 2025
Panele iştirak eden tüm bürokratlarımıza, akademisyenlerimize ve alanında uzman isimlere katkılarından dolayı teşekkür ediyorum. pic.twitter.com/t5Ak8W7hvn
İçişleri Bakanımız Sayın Ali Yerlikaya:
— Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı (@Gocidaresi) April 28, 2025
Bugün, yalnızca Göç İdaresi Başkanlığımızın değil; “Vicdanın ve merhametin kurumsallaştığı,
insanlık onurunu merkeze alan bir anlayışın da” yıl dönümünü kutluyoruz.
Zat-ı Devletlerinizin vizyonuyla,
12 yıl önce temelleri atılan Göç… pic.twitter.com/vKy4uAXlwY
© 2025 Presidency of Migration Management