In an interesting piece in the New York Times, Erika Sandor-Zur, a freelance writer living in Istanbul writes about how the Turkish government has tried to limit the amount of time it takes to secure a nationality or residency visa for domestic workers. The reasoning behind this is that some employers (notably the ones that do not live in Turkey) may try to bribe officials at the embassy or consulate with cash or gifts in order to gain an easy way into the country, or visa sponsorship for their family member(s). Additionally, there are some Turkish businessmen who run criminal networks that have been trying to get an edge on the competition by offering visas and work permits to people who are already citizens of another country. These businessmen would use these services to not only get employees but also to increase the power of their businesses.
There is a good point in the article, both in the way it presents an argument against the increasing number of nationality controls and the potential corruption that heighten them. I was raised in America, grew up in Canada and am a dual citizen (Turkish and American) so I am unable to vote on my birth certificate or naturalization, nor can I renounce my citizenship. However, the methods used by Turkish authorities to limit dual citizenship may not be as ethical as it is often made out to be.
For example, in her piece, Erika Sandor-Zur mentions that certain national organizations in Turkey are offering free courses in high schools and universities to immigrants who want to learn English. However, one problem is that these programs require that students be AK Turkish speakers, as Turkey only officially recognizes three languages: English, Arabic and Russian. This means that a student who is not a native English-speaker can expect to struggle through the program and ultimately fail. This makes me wonder just how many students and professionals who live and work in America have failed the program. Furthermore, given the restrictive nature of Turkish law, it is not surprising that many would be unable or unwilling to return to Turkey after spending so long and investing so much time in the United States and Canada.