Syrian Refugees and Human Capital Accumulation of Working-Age Native Children in Turkey

Abstract

The arrival of Syrian refugees has significantly changed the labor-market conditions and the relative abundance of different skill groups in Turkey. We examine how the arrival of Syrian refugees affects school enrollment and employment of working-age native children using a difference-in-differences instrumental variable methodology. We find a significant drop in employment, largely due to children shifting from work-school balance to education only. School enrollment rises for boys, especially those with educated parents. However, the rate of girls not engaged in employment or education increases, particularly among those with less-educated parents, but decreases for boys with more-educated parents.