The Christian Armenian presence in Turkey is reinforced by a constant flow of mostly illegal immigrants from Armenia who settle in Turkey in search of better job opportunities , where the difference in pay can be quite significant . Despite a negative public opinion in Armenia of " an Armenian who works for a Turk " as a result of the century-long uneasy relationship between the two countries , by 2010 , there were between 22,000 and 25,000 Armenian citizens living illegally in Istanbul alone , according to Turkish officials , and an estimated total amount of 100,000 . Many of them are employed in Turkish households to provide domestic services , such as cooking and cleaning . According to a 2009 interview poll of 150 Armenian work migrants , the majority are women . In 2010 , amid Armenia 's push for the recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide as a genocide , Prime Minister Erdoğan threatened to deport the illegal immigrants back to Armenia , however the situation gradually thawed . Some Armenian immigrants do not discuss ever returning to their homeland having adapted to life in Turkey . Beginning in 2011 , children of the Armenian citizens living illegally in Istanbul have been allowed to attend local Armenian minority schools , but as they are not Turkish citizens , they do not receive diplomas at the end of the school term
1915 Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
Armenians in Turkey