<mark>Other</mark> <mark>all 1.9%</mark> There is evidence that some firms have taken action ‐ such as relocation or adjusting their operating hours – as part of their coping mechanisms. Strikingly, 17 percent of all firms reported they had moved at least some of their operations to elsewhere within Syria – anecdotally it has been reported that many firms moved to Latakkia. In addition, 7 percent of firms surveyed reported moving some of their operations abroad with Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt being reported as destinations. In addition, 49.2 percent of firms report reducing their hours since before the crisis although 22 percent have increased hours, possibly to make up for lost earnings in regular hours. Box 1 draws on a separate survey conducted by the World Bank of Syrian diaspora who had left Syria since the conflict began to highlight some of the characteristics of businesses that left.

# **Box 1: Online Survey of Syrian Diaspora Businesspeople**

The World Bank also conducted an online survey of Syrian diaspora businesspeople using the snowball sampling method to contact individuals between January and April 2017. This sample included 63 businesspeople who left Syria since the conflict began in 2011 and sheds some light on their characteristics, concerns, and intentions. Answers are self‐ reported and not all 63 answered every question and percentages are calculated as a share of those who responded to the individual question.

In terms of basic characteristics, almost half of the respondents selected 45 to 64 as their age range and 90 percent were male. Respondents were well qualified, with 41 percent having a post‐graduate degree as their highest level of education and another 41 percent holding an undergraduate degree as their highest level. The respondents came from a wide range of Syrian cities, with approximately 40 percent naming Damascus as their city of origin and 19 percent naming Aleppo. However, 54% previously had their major business establishment in Damascus, Damascus suburbs or Daara.

The current locations of residence for these businessmen who had left Syria was varied: 22 percent were in Jordan, 16 percent in Egypt, 13 percent in Turkey, 11 percent in France, 8 percent in the United Arab Emirates, and the remainder between Germany, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Austria, the United States and Canada. Respondents provided a wide variety of answers to the question of their legal status in their host country, hinting at the complexity of life for the Syrian diaspora. Similarly, 54 percent believed they faced unique obstacles to investing and doing business as a Syrian national in their host country with visa issues cited as a problem in conducting business for over three‐quarters of them. Getting an investment residency was also a major issue. Perhaps in part as a result, 81 percent said that they planned to return to Syria in some way once security improves.

Many remain actively involved with the Syrian community. Almost all support displaced Syrians in some way through things like employment, education, or financial support. Fifty‐six percent of the respondents are specifically involved in various forms of skills transfer, either back in Syria or in host countries, through mentoring, training, and education. Connections to home also remain strong: 40 percent continue to support Syrian livelihoods inside Syria in some way, including through investments. 8