Hüseyin Kök, Head of the Migration Administration, emphasised at the 4th International Migration Conference themed ‘Migration and Family’ that Türkiye manages migration not only from a security perspective, but also through a comprehensive model that includes protecting family unity, safeguarding the best interests of children, and strengthening protection mechanisms for those with special needs.

The Police Academy of the General Directorate of Security in Gölbaşı hosted the 4th International Migration Conference on the theme of ‘Migration and Family’. The programme was attended by Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Deputy Minister of the Interior Mehmet Sağlam, Head of the Migration Administration Hüseyin Kök and President of the Police Academy Prof. Dr. Murat Balcı.

Hüseyin Kök, Head of the Migration Administration, shared comprehensive assessments of Türkiye's approach to migration management in his speech at the conference.

Migration is a dynamic process that affects the social and cultural fabric of societies.

At the beginning of his speech, President Kök emphasised that migration is not merely a population movement:

"Migration, beyond being merely a population movement, is also a dynamic process that affects the social, economic, and cultural fabric of societies. Türkiye’s work in the field of migration is managed with a comprehensive and strategic approach under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of our Minister Ali Yerlikaya."

"Türkiye’s Migration Model: 24/7 Continuous Management"

Emphasizing that all activities in the field of migration are carried out under the coordination of the Directorate General of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior and with the cooperation of all relevant institutions, Kök stated:"Regular migration management, international protection, temporary protection, voluntary return, integrated border management, combating irregular migration and human trafficking, as well as integration and communication—these are all areas where exemplary practices are implemented for the international community. All efforts are conducted continuously and decisively, 24/7, based on law, human rights, and national interests, without compromising public order and security, and drawing strength from our civilizational values."

Foreign figures are disclosed transparently every week.

Sharing the latest statistics on the foreign population in Türkiye, President Kök stated, "As of 26 November 2025, the number of foreigners legally residing in our country is 3,611,218. Of these, 2,375,909 are Syrians under temporary protection and 147,629 are of other nationalities seeking international protection in our country. Additionally, 1,087,680 foreigners who have come for purposes such as tourism, work, investment, and trade are residing in our country with residence or work permits. These figures are shared with the public every week via our official website."

Two Important Innovations in Regular Migration

The steps taken in Türkiye's regular migration policy, particularly towards students and skilled labour, were highlighted. Kök pointed to the work carried out in this context with the following words:

Our regular migration policy is designed to encourage the influx of skilled human resources, international students and international investments into our country.

He provided examples of applications implemented in this regard:

The protocol signed between our Ministry and the Council of Higher Education has simplified residence permit applications for international university students. Another important development is that foreigners can now apply for residence permits through notary offices.

Work Permit Referral to Combat Informal Employment

The Head of the Migration Administration used the following statement when discussing the role of work permits within the regular migration policy:

‘In order to combat unregistered employment and encourage registered employment, foreigners wishing to work in our country have been directed to obtain work permits.’

"Five-Pillar Model for Combating Irregular Migration"

"Türkiye’s strategy for combating irregular migration was outlined with the following words:"

"Türkiye implements a five-pillar strategy in combating irregular migration, which begins and ends in the country of origin. These pillars are: measures aimed at resolving the problem at its source, effective border security measures, efficient apprehension within the country, combating irregular labor, and effective return mechanisms."

"Mobile Migration Units are Active in All Provinces"

One of the most noteworthy sections of the presentation was the Mobile Migration Point system. It was emphasised that this application is the first of its kind in the world:

"In July 2023, the 'Mobile Migration Unit' initiative was launched. This world-first application was first implemented in Istanbul. Today, it operates in all 81 provinces of our country, with 375 mobile migration unit vehicles providing services."

"As a result of the strategic and determined combat against irregular migration:"

"Our country is no longer a route for irregular migration nor a target for irregular migration. The global routes of irregular migration have now changed."

"Combating against  Human Traffickers"

"President Kök summarized the state’s stance against human traffickers with the following statement:"

"Our state is conducting an unwavering fight against the organizers of human smuggling."

"Voluntary return operations are conducted sensitively and in full compliance with international standards."

President Hüseyin Kök emphasized that, as in the past, Türkiye stands by our Syrian brothers and sisters during the voluntary return process. He stated that voluntary returns have accelerated following developments in Syria. He also highlighted that the process of voluntary returns is carried out with great care and transparency, in full compliance with international standards

"Pioneering Migrant Application Implemented for the First Time in the World"

President Kök stated that Türkiye was the first country in the world to implement the ‘Pioneer Migrant’ programme, saying, "Our “Pioneer Migrant” programme, implemented for the first time in the world, was successfully completed between 1 January and 1 July 2025. Under the programme, those wishing to return voluntarily were permitted to enter and exit their countries to complete their preparations. This programme, implemented for the first time in the world, has been praised by reputable international authorities and has been held up as an example for other countries."

Priority is given to those with special needs.

Stating that the Directorate General of Migration Management has adopted a human-centred approach in all its activities, Kök said, "Our Law No. 6458 defines disadvantaged groups that require special expertise and attention as “those with special needs”.   Protection desks have been established in our Provincial Directorates, staffed by specialised personnel, to identify foreigners with special needs."

Priority is given to all persons with special needs, including persons with disabilities, the elderly and pregnant women, in the work and procedures carried out.  Furthermore, when it is determined during the course of our work and procedures that a foreign national has special needs, they are referred to the relevant institutions and judicial and administrative authorities where they can receive services according to their specific circumstances, and the matter is closely monitored. At the same time, if a situation constituting a crime is encountered, the necessary notifications are made to the competent authorities and the process is followed up," he said.

Family Integrity as a Fundamental Principle

"President Kök expressed the approach to preserving family ties during the migration process as follows:"

“In the migration waves that began in 2011 and continue to this day, our Presidency has prioritised family unity in all its work and procedures, taking all necessary steps to ensure that family ties are properly established. Furthermore, in all matters and procedures concerning children, the best interests of the child have been taken into account. In voluntary return procedures, utmost care is taken to ensure that family unity is not disrupted.”

"New Action Plan in Effect for Combating Human Trafficking"

"President Kök explained the new plan implemented to combat human trafficking, described as modern slavery, with the following statement:"

The Third National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking was implemented in 2025.

Projects for Women and Children

The Migration Administration's social integration activities for women and children formed an important part of the discussion:

‘We carry out numerous initiatives such as women's career days, local women's gatherings, language training, encouraging school enrolment, social integration activities, and women- and child-friendly spaces.’

YİMER 157 has saved over 15,000 lives

Highlighting YİMER's critical role in migration management, President Kök stated, ‘Our 157 YİMER communication centres have handled over 26 million calls and contributed to saving the lives of more than 15,000 people through the reports received.’