Work Permit Application in Turkey

What Is a Work Permit?

A work permit is an official document issued by the Ministry that grants a foreign national the right to work and reside in Turkey for its period of validity. It is regulated under the International Labour Force Law No. 6735 and formalizes the employment relationship between employers in Turkey and foreign employees. Without a work permit, it is not legally possible for foreign nationals to work in Turkey. Work permits in Turkey are issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı) and are the document required for foreign nationals to enter the workforce. However, obtaining this permit is a complex process that involves not only filing an application but also fully completing specific legal procedures and preparing the required documents with great care.

What Are the Types of Work Permits?

Fixed-Term Work Permit

A fixed-term work permit is granted for a maximum of one year upon the first application, on the condition that the foreign national works for a specific employer in a predetermined line of business. This permit allows employment only at the designated workplace or at workplaces in the same sector, and its duration cannot exceed the term of the employment or service contract.

According to Article 10/1 of the International Labour Force Law, "If the application is assessed favorably, the foreign national shall be granted a work permit valid for a maximum of one year upon the first application, provided that its duration does not exceed the term of the employment or service contract, and on the condition that the foreign national works in a specific job at a specific workplace belonging to a natural or legal person or a public institution or organization, or at their workplaces within the same line of business."

Once the initial period of a fixed-term work permit expires, it is possible to apply for an extension. If approved, this extension application allows the foreign employee to continue working under the same employer for up to two years upon the first extension, and for up to three years upon subsequent extensions.

Indefinite Work Permit

An indefinite work permit is a right granted to foreign nationals who have held a legal work permit in Turkey for at least eight years or who hold a long-term residence permit. Foreign nationals who obtain this permit may work in the country without being tied to a specific job or employer, and they benefit from social security and other legal rights in a manner similar to Turkish citizens. However, this right does not cover citizenship rights such as voting, being elected, or holding public office. Applications for indefinite work permits are assessed within the framework of the relevant legislation, provided the application requirements are met.

An indefinite work permit involves documentation that must be updated every five years from the date of issue. The update procedures must be carried out within the six months preceding the fifth anniversary of the permit date and must be completed before this deadline expires. However, even holders of indefinite work permits may not work in certain jobs and professions in Turkey that are prohibited to foreign nationals and reserved exclusively for Turkish citizens. These regulations show that work permits granted to foreign nationals in Turkey bring certain restrictions alongside the opportunities they provide.

Independent Work Permit

An independent work permit is a type of permit that allows foreign nationals to work on their own behalf in Turkey. It is aimed particularly at foreign professionals with specific qualifications and those who wish to establish a business in Turkey. Under this permit, foreign nationals may work or carry out activities in their fields of expertise without being tied to a specific employer.

Applications for independent work permits are assessed by taking into account criteria such as the applicant's educational background, professional experience, and the contribution of their activities in Turkey to the economy. This type of permit aims to support foreign professionals and investors in operating in Turkey.

During the application process, the relevant documents must be submitted in full, and if the application is assessed favorably, the foreign national is granted the right to work independently in Turkey. With this permit, foreign nationals can establish their own businesses and contribute to employment and the economy in Turkey.

How to Obtain a Work Permit

To obtain a work permit, prospective foreign employees must first apply for a work permit and work visa at the relevant diplomatic missions of the Republic of Turkey abroad. However, if the foreign national is already in Turkey and holds a valid residence permit with at least six months remaining, the work permit application can also be filed as a domestic application.

What Are the Types of Work Permit Applications?

There are two different application methods for obtaining a work permit in Turkey, depending on the applicant's residence status.

Domestic Application

Foreign nationals residing in Turkey are not required to apply through Turkish consulates abroad to obtain a work permit. However, to be eligible for a work permit, these foreign nationals must hold a valid residence permit with a duration of at least six months.

If the foreign employee holds a valid residence permit of at least six months in Turkey, the application must be filed with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Certain foreign nationals who are legally present in Turkey but do not hold a valid residence permit may apply for a work permit under the special conditions determined by the Directorate General of International Labour Force (Uluslararası İşgücü Genel Müdürlüğü). This is assessed based on the foreign national's qualifications and activities in Turkey.

For applications filed from within Turkey, the employee's social security registration declaration must be submitted within 30 days of the date the work permit is approved. It should also be remembered that foreign nationals who come to Turkey after obtaining residence and work permits from the consulates are required to register with the address registration system within twenty business days at the latest from their date of entry.

Overseas Application

Work permit applications are filed through the embassy or consulate general of the Republic of Turkey in the country of which the foreign national is a citizen or in which they are legally present. If the foreign national will be employed by an employer, the first step is for the candidate to obtain a reference number from the relevant embassy or consulate general. The employer must then upload the required documents and information to the system and approve the application. Once these steps are completed, the work permit application is finalized. If the foreign national will not be working for an employer, the application process is completed simply by submitting the required documents and information to the relevant embassy or consulate general and having them uploaded to the system and approved.

For work permit applications filed from abroad, foreign nationals are required to start work by fulfilling the legislative requirements within one month at the latest from their date of entry into Turkey, and in any case within six months from the start date of the work permit.

Documents Required for a Foreign Work Permit

For a work permit application, certain documents are required from both the company and the prospective foreign employee. These documents are submitted to the Ministry through the online system using the assigned authorization. Following the submission of the documents, the work permit application is taken under evaluation.

Documents Required from the Foreign Employee

• An employment contract signed with a current date (the monthly salary must be clearly stated as "monthly gross salary of XXXX Turkish Lira"; employment contracts must be signed in blue ink by both the employer and the foreign national)
• Passport (if the passport is not written in Latin letters, a translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities)
• A copy of the Diploma or Provisional Graduation Certificate with a Turkish translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities
• Photograph (biometric passport-size photo)
• The foreign national's contact details (email address/phone number)
• Reference number: The prospective employee must visit the Turkish Consulate/Embassy in the country where they legally reside and obtain a reference number.

Documents Required from the Company

• Tax certificate
• Trade Registry Gazette (Ticaret Sicili Gazetesi)
• Company balance sheet
• Certificate of activity
• Preliminary permit certificate (education sector / healthcare sector)

However, for work permit procedures involving Liaison Offices established with the authorization of the Ministry of Industry and Technology (Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı), the following must be submitted:

• An "Annual Activity Report" instead of the corporate tax return and provisional tax return
• The "Ministry Authorization Letter and Authorization Extension Letters" instead of the Trade Registry Gazette and Certificate of Activity

*The documents required may vary depending on the profession, sector, or the status of the foreign national concerned.

2025 Work Permit and Work Permit Exemption Fees

The 2025 fees for Work Permit / Exemption Certificates, effective as of 01.01.2025 and determined by the GENERAL COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE LAW ON FEES (SERIES NO: 96) published in the Official Gazette No. 32768 (2nd repeated issue) dated December 30, 2024, are shown in the table below.

* If the work permit / exemption certificate is lost, half of the previously collected fee and the full amount of the valuable paper charge are collected again for reissuance.

The valuable paper charge for foreign nationals' work permit cards for 2025 has been set at 810.00 TL.

What Are the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria?

Certain eligibility conditions apply to foreign work permits in Turkey. These conditions are:

1. Employment Criterion

The workplace for which a work permit is requested must employ at least 5 (five) Turkish citizens. However, for workplaces whose net sales in the previous year amounted to 50,000,000 Turkish Lira or more, the employment criterion is not applied in the evaluation of work permit applications for up to five foreign nationals to be employed.

2. Financial Adequacy Criterion

For workplaces in Turkey that are subject to balance-sheet-based accounting, specific capital, turnover, or export criteria are required for foreign work permit applications.

For newly established workplaces founded in the current year that have not yet prepared a year-end balance sheet or annual income statement, the paid-in capital of the applying workplace must be at least 500,000 TL.

On the other hand, for workplaces with at least one year of operating history that have prepared a year-end balance sheet and annual income statement, a foreign work permit application requires the workplace to have paid-in capital of at least 500,000 TL, or net sales of at least 8,000,000 TL, or exports of at least USD 150,000.

For applications made on behalf of ordinary partnerships established by workplaces subject to balance-sheet-based accounting, at least one of the partners must likewise have paid-in capital of 500,000 TL, net sales of 8,000,000 TL, or an export amount of USD 150,000. Meeting these conditions fulfills the basic economic requirements for a foreign work permit application.

The thresholds for paid-in capital and net sales under the "financial adequacy criterion" detailed above will enter into force on 01.01.2025; until that date, it will be deemed sufficient for work permit applications if the workplace's paid-in capital is at least 100,000 TL, or its gross sales are at least 800,000 TL, or its export amount in the last year is at least USD 150,000.

3. Salary Criterion

From a legal standpoint, it is of great importance that employees' salaries are updated annually in line with minimum wage increases, that they are not employed for less than the minimum wage—particularly taking into account the coefficients appropriate to their positions—and that social security (SGK) premium payments are made without interruption.

The monthly salary declared by the employer to be paid to the foreign national must be an amount commensurate with the position in which the foreign national will work.

The salary to be paid to the foreign national must not be less than the amounts detailed below, calculated on the basis of the gross minimum wage in force as of the date of the work permit application.

*The salary to be paid to the employee must be updated in line with these criteria and the minimum wage amount, which changes every year.

Minimum Wage Coefficients by Position for Work Permits

Financial Adequacy and Employment Criteria for Foreign Company Partners

For workplaces operating on a balance-sheet basis, specific financial and employment criteria apply where a foreign national establishes a new workplace or becomes a partner in an existing one.

Accordingly, the following conditions apply to work permit applications:

• In a work permit application filed on behalf of a foreign national who establishes a new workplace or becomes a partner in an existing one, the foreign national's capital share must be at least 500,000 TL and their partnership share must be at least 20%. In this case, the workplace's paid-in capital must also be at least 500,000 TL.
• In addition, the workplace must employ at least five Turkish citizens. When the first work permit is issued to a foreign company partner or workplace owner, this condition is recorded as an annotation, and from the seventh month of the permit period onward, at least five Turkish citizens must be employed at the workplace each month.
• However, for work permit applications filed on behalf of foreign partners holding a capital share of USD 100,000 or more, the capital and employment criteria stated above do not apply.

The capital threshold under the "Financial Adequacy and Employment Criteria for Foreign Company Partners" section detailed above will enter into force on 01.01.2025; until that date, a capital amount of at least 40,000 TL held by the foreign company partner is deemed sufficient in terms of the financial adequacy criterion for work permit applications.

How to Apply for a Work Permit Extension

Work permits for foreign nationals in Turkey must be renewed after a certain period. Managing this process in a timely manner is of great importance for foreign employees whose work permits are about to expire and for their employers. As with the initial application, the extension request is filed electronically via the e-Government portal (e-Devlet). The work permit extension application can be initiated 60 days before the permit's expiry date and must in any case be filed before the permit expires. Otherwise, extension applications filed after the permit has expired are automatically rejected.

In the first extension application filed as the initial work permit period expires, the permit can be extended for up to two years. In the second and subsequent extension applications, this period can be extended for up to three years.

Just as preliminary authorization is required for work permit applications of foreign nationals working in fields requiring professional qualifications, such as healthcare and education, the preliminary authorization of the relevant institutions is also required for extension applications in these sectors. For example, preliminary authorization from the Ministry of Health (Sağlık Bakanlığı) for foreign nationals working in the healthcare sector, and from the Ministry of National Education (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı) for those working in education, is an integral part of extension applications as well. For extension applications of foreign academic staff employed at higher education institutions, the preliminary authorization of the Council of Higher Education (Yükseköğretim Kurulu, YÖK) is required. Likewise, work permit applications of foreign nationals to be employed as R&D personnel at companies holding an R&D Center Certificate under Law No. 5746 on Supporting Research, Development and Design Activities and the related legislation are evaluated subject to the favorable opinion of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology (Bilim, Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı).

Which Foreign Nationals Are Exempt from the Work Permit Requirement?

A work permit exemption can be described as an official document granting a foreign national the right to work and reside in Turkey during its period of validity without obtaining a work permit. The foreign nationals entitled to apply for a work permit exemption and the exemption periods are regulated in Article 48 of the Implementing Regulation of the International Labour Force Law.

"(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of special laws and the obligations of the foreign national and the employer arising from other laws;

• Foreign nationals who will work within the scope of scientific, cultural and artistic activities, for up to one month,
• Foreign nationals coming to Turkey for training purposes related to the use of goods and services exported from or imported into Turkey, or to provide training on the assembly, maintenance, repair and use of machinery and equipment imported into Turkey, or to take delivery of equipment, or to repair vehicles that have broken down in Turkey, for up to three months in total,
• Foreign cross-border service providers, for up to three months,
• Board members of joint-stock companies established under Law No. 6102 who do not reside in Turkey, partners of other companies who do not hold a managerial role, and foreign nationals who are not partners in these companies but are authorized to represent and bind them at the highest level and will work in Turkey, for up to three months,
• Persons residing abroad who have been declared to be of Turkish descent by the Ministry of Interior (İçişleri Bakanlığı) or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Dışişleri Bakanlığı) and who will work in Turkey, for up to three months,
• Foreign nationals who will work within the scope of sporting activities, for up to four months,
• Foreign nationals who will do internships under student exchange programs concluded between Turkish universities and universities in foreign countries and approved by the Council of Higher Education, for up to four months,
• Foreign nationals who will work in seasonal agriculture and livestock jobs determined by the Directorate General, for up to six months,
• Foreign nationals who will work at fairs and circuses operating outside the boundaries of certified tourism establishments, for up to six months,
• Foreign nationals reported by the relevant public institutions and organizations as capable of providing significant services and contributions to Turkey in economic, socio-cultural and technological fields as well as in education, for up to six months,
• Foreign nationals who will work as tour operator representatives, for up to eight months,
• Foreign nationals who will do internships under international trainee student exchange, recent graduate trainee exchange or youth exchange programs approved by the Directorate General, for up to twelve months,
• Foreign nationals coming to universities or public institutions and organizations to conduct research or to enhance their knowledge and experience, limited to the duration of their training and in any case for up to two years,
• Professional foreign athletes and coaches, as well as sports physicians, sports physiotherapists, sports mechanics, sports masseurs or masseuses and similar sports personnel coming to Turkey with a sports-annotated visa, subject to the favorable opinion of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı) or the Turkish Football Federation (Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu), for the duration of their contracts with sports federations and sports clubs,
• Foreign seafarers serving on ships registered in the Turkish International Ship Registry and operating outside the cabotage line, who have obtained a Certificate of Approval from the relevant administration pursuant to bilateral protocols concluded with states under Rule I/10 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, for the duration of their employment or service contracts,
• Foreign nationals assigned to programs or projects carried out within the scope of the Turkey–European Union Financial Cooperation Programs, for the duration of their assignments,
• Foreign students enrolled in a formal education program in Turkey who, pursuant to the relevant legislation, are required to complete an internship with an employer as part of their vocational training, for the duration of the compulsory internship,
• Foreign nationals employed at schools, cultural institutions and religious institutions operating as affiliated units of the diplomatic and consular missions of foreign countries in Turkey, for the duration of their assignments,
• Foreign nationals working in the private service of persons serving as members of the diplomatic staff, consular officers, members of the administrative and technical staff and consular employees at the diplomatic and consular missions of foreign countries in Turkey, or as international officers and administrative and technical personnel at international organizations in Turkey, for the duration of their employment or service contracts,
• Foreign nationals who will work at military factories and shipyards operating under the Ministry of National Defense (Millî Savunma Bakanlığı) and within the Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Anonim Şirketi), for the duration of their employment or service contracts,
• Foreign personnel, researchers or managers who will work at the Turkish-Japanese Science and Technology University, established by Law No. 7034 of 18/6/2017 on the Establishment of the Turkish-Japanese Science and Technology University, for the duration of their employment contracts,
• Foreign nationals undergoing specialization training pursuant to the Regulation on Specialization Training in Medicine and Dentistry published in the Official Gazette No. 28983 dated 26/4/2014, for the duration of their training, are considered within the scope of the work permit exemption."

What Are the Scope and Validity Conditions of a Work Permit?

A Work Permit Serves as a Residence Permit:
A work permit or work permit exemption issued by the Ministry serves as a residence permit throughout its validity. However, different provisions may apply to foreign nationals granted refugee or subsidiary protection status.

A Residence Permit Does Not Grant the Right to Work:
Holding a residence permit does not automatically grant foreign nationals the right to work. A work permit or exemption is additionally required for the right to work.

When the Work Permit Ends, the Right of Residence Also Ends:
If the work permit or exemption becomes invalid for any reason, the associated right of residence also ends. Therefore, an application for a residence permit appropriate to the intended purpose must be filed starting sixty days before the work permit expires, and in any case before its expiry. Foreign nationals who will continue to stay in Turkey after the circumstances granting them exemption from the residence permit have ended must apply to the governorships to obtain a residence permit within ten days at the latest.

Other Residence Permits Remain Valid:
For foreign nationals holding a valid residence permit in Turkey for a reason other than the work permit, their other residence permits remain valid if the work permit expires.

Work Permit Tied to the Workplace and Address:
A work permit issued for employment with a specific employer is valid only at the workplace and address for which it was issued; it is not considered valid at another location or with another employer.

Professions Prohibited to Foreign Nationals in Turkey

On grounds of public health, security and public interest, certain special laws in Turkey reserve specific jobs and professions exclusively for Turkish citizens, and work permit applications filed by foreign nationals for these professions are rejected.

• Founders, managers and trainers of private security companies, and representatives authorized by corporate shareholders of such companies
• Private security guards
• Neighborhood and market watchmen
• Certified public accountancy (financial advisory)
• Cooperative board members
• Assistant customs brokers
• Founders of schools established by foreign nationals that provide instruction in a language other than Turkish
• Responsible directors of private hospitals
• Dentistry
• Nursing aides
• Pharmacy
• Veterinary medicine
• Foreign assistants working outside the scope of specialization training
• Notaries
• Judges and prosecutors
• Attorneys
• Mediators
• Concordat commissioners
• Trainee aeronautical information management officers
• Honorary traffic inspectors
• Freight forwarding organizers
• Agency managers, travel agency managers
• Tourist guides
• Fishing, oyster, mussel, sponge and pearl harvesting within territorial waters, diving, prospecting, pilotage, ship captaincy, engine operation, clerkship, deckhand work, etc.
• Sports consultants
• Labor intermediaries in agriculture
• Ship agency officials and ship agency personnel
• Permanent supervisors, technical staff

Should you require any further information, please contact us.