Turkey plans to offer Syrian refugees work permits in order to ease the pressure on them to migrate, Volkan Bozkır, the country's Minister for European Affairs, said Monday, Jan 11, according to Hurriyet Daily News.

The number of people immigrating illegally exceeded 150,000 in 2015, and Turkish authorities stopped 500 migrants daily, Bozkır also told reporters after a meeting with European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans in Ankara.

Turkey, which aspires to join the EU, has pledged to take steps to reduce the record number of illegal migrants trying to teach Europe in exchange for a 3 billion euro aid package.