Brain drain rates vary across Turkish provinces in 2025

Data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) regarding 2025 brain drain statistics for higher education graduates shows significant regional variations across Turkey.

In Erzurum, the brain drain rate was recorded at 0.57%, which is approximately one-third of the national average of 2.19%. The rate among males in Erzurum was 0.71%, while females stood at 0.44%. Erzurum has consistently remained below the national average in recent years.

In contrast, Aydın saw an increase in qualified migration, with its brain drain rate rising from 1.8% in 2024 to 2% in 2025. This figure remains slightly below the national average of 2.2%. In Aydın, the migration rate for males was 2.6%, compared to 1.5% for females.

Nationally, Istanbul recorded the highest brain drain rate at 4%, while Siirt recorded the lowest at 0.2%. Among those migrating abroad, Germany was the most preferred destination at 22%, followed by the United States at 16.9% and the United Kingdom at 10.5%.