Despite tension, Turkey attracts more Egyptians than ever
Istanbul has been a hot destination for Egyptians for many years and the trend is only increasing despite the tensions between the two countries.
CAIRO — Istanbul has become a destination for many Egyptians since 2013, when many dissidents moved to the city. With the rapid transition to remote work due to COVID-19, another wave of Egyptians has come, even with tension between Cairo and Ankara at a peak.
Mostafa Habib, 27, an e-learning specialist, is among many Egyptians who moved to Istanbul this year. He arrived in October to join his wife Hana, who started a degree in Islamic art at one of the city's universities. They are planning to stay for the next five years.
Habib, who works remotely from their apartment, told Al-Monitor that they were drawn by the similarities between Istanbul and Cairo, saying, “The weather here is somewhat close to Egypt and their traditions are similar to ours.”
For the couple, the steps to moving to Turkey — from traveling there and applying to universities to residing in Istanbul — were “very smooth and much easier than Europe,” he said. “Also, knowing that universities here are highly ranked in Islamic art studies [is] particularly encouraging.”
