International migration is a prominent feature of globalization and one of the defining issues of
this century. Increasingly, migration entails economic, social, demographic, cultural, security and
environmental effects on both sending and receiving societies. At the beginning of a new
millennium, migration and its management have posed a fundamental challenge to both the
theory and practice of governance in contemporary societies. Modernizing processes around the
globe, the end of the Cold War, the emergence of a new world order, and the rise of globalization
provide reasons for a wide examination of new waves and patterns of migration, both internally
and internationally (Içduygu, 2004).
New forms of global migration and growing ethnic diversity are related to fundamental
transformations in economic, social and politic structures in this Post-Cold War era. These
changes are visible at the end of 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. According to Castles and
Miller these changes are; developments included the upheavals in the former Soviet Bloc; the
Gulf War; the Intifada in occupied Palestine; the crumbling of apartheid in South Africa; wars,
famines and crises thouhtout Africa; rapid growth and development in Asia and growing
economic and political integration in Western Euope (Castles and Miller, 1993). All these
developments have been related to mass population movements.
Most of the academicians argues that migration will continue to grow and it is likely to be one of
the most important factors in global change. Why will migration continue to grow? Growing
inequalities in wealth between the North and South are likely to impel increasing numbers of
people to move in search of better living standars; political, ecological and demographic
pressures may force many people to seek refuge outside their own countries; the end of Cold War
causes massive population movements in Europe (Castles and Miller, 1993)Traditionally, Turkey has been known as a country of emigration. From the early 1960s to 1970s,
large numbers of Turkish nationals migrated to Western European countries, particularly West
Germany. However, more recently Turkey has become an immigration country also. At the end
of cold war, Turkey has seen a large increase in the number of people entering the country. In
1990s when Cold War ended 2,3 million foreign nationals entered Turkey. In 1996 , the number
had increased to 8,5 million and in 2005, it reached 20 million, almost to third of Turkey’s
population (Kirisçi, 2008).
In 1990s, Turkey has witnessed a new form of immigration involving nationals of neighboring
countries, EU nationals and transit illegal migrants. Some of these people overstay their visa in
Turkey and become involved in prostitution or work illegaly on construction sites as well as in
households looking after the children or elderly parents of professionals in large cities (Içduygu
and Kirisçi, 2009).