How to Get Work Permit in Turkey? Your Questions are Answered.

"How to get work permit in Turkey?" if you are thinking this and interested in searching for job opportunities, you can find the answers to all your questions. If you are a foreigner looking to relocate to Turkey for work, you must first obtain a work permit and a work visa. To work or do business in Turkey, you must obtain a residency permit within one month of your arrival. Once you've found a job in Turkey, your future employer will need to apply for your work permit. Without having a job in Turkey, foreigners cannot apply for a work permit for themselves.

How to Apply for a Work Permit?

Foreigners seeking a work permit should apply to Turkish companies. In exchange for five Turkish employees, a company can apply for a work permit for each foreigner. If the company accepts a foreigner’s job application, the foreigner will collect necessary documents and deliver it to the company. Foreigners and the company will sign a labor contract, and the company will be liable to apply for a work permit after that. If the company that you are going to work with accepts your application without your presence, you do not have to visit Turkey before or during the application procedure. You can see a chart of the application process for both foreigners residing outside of Turkey and for foreigners residing In Turkey, below. [caption id="attachment_25530" align="aligncenter" width="663"]

The Work Permit Application Process for Foreigners Residing Outside of Turkey[/caption] [caption id="attachment_25531" align="aligncenter" width="674"]

The Work Permit Application Process for Foreigners Residing in Turkey[/caption]

What are the Eligibility Criteria to Get Work Permit in Turkey?

The eligibility criteria change on the sector, the company, and the foreigner’s private conditions. The criteria are listed below.

For employer:

• At least five Turkish citizens must be employed at the workplace where the foreigner will be working.
• The capital of the workplace must be at least TRY 100,000.

For employee:

• Foreigners who entered Turkey as tourists are ineligible for a work permit.
• This criterion varies depending on the profession. As a result, you must look into the salary of the profession.
• If the foreigner is a partner in the company, he or she must own at least 20% of the total shares, which is equivalent to TRY 40,000.

The documents required may differ depending on the industry in which you will be working.

Documents Required to Get Work Permit

The necessary documents required from the foreigner that applying for a work permit:

• Passport
• Work visa application
• 1 photo
• A copy of the employment contract
• A copy of residence permit, valid for at least 6 months (If you don’t you also need to apply for a residence permit)
• Sworn translation or an official certified translation of diploma

The necessary documents required from the employer:

• Work permit application letter
• Foreign personnel application form
• A notarized power of attorney for the authorized person to use the Online application system
• The Trade Registry Gazette of Turkey
• Balance sheet and profit and/or loss statement for the most recent year
• Social Security Institution registration number of the insured foreigner

The Work Permit Process in Turkey

After your employer submits the application, the evaluation of the application will be concluded within 30 days according to the workload of the related departments. After the waiting period, you will receive an e-mail from the Ministry about the result of your application. The next step is to pay the relevant fees then the work permit will be sent to your address.

What are the forbidden job fields for foreigners?

There are some professions that foreigners cannot perform in Turkey even though they have a work permit. You can find these jobs below.

• Lawyer
• Notary
• Pharmacists
• Security Officer
• Dentistry
• Nursing
• Veterinary
• Tourist Guide
• Customs Broker
• Director of Private Medical Institutions
• Engineer or seaman on inland waters diving, navigating captain, captain and ships

The Types of Work Permit

• Permanent work permit Foreigners having a long-term residency visa or a valid work permit who have worked in Turkey for at least 8 years may be eligible for a permanent work permit. Permanent work visa holders, however, are unable to vote or work as government officials.
• Temporary work permit The employer obtains the work permit on behalf of his employee. A temporary work permit is granted only one year on the initial application. After one year, the employee can apply for an extension of the work permit. If the extension is authorized, the employee may be awarded a work visa for up to three years on his or her initial extension if the employer is employed by the same company and in the same profession.
• Independent work permit If a foreigner has lived in Turkey legally and continuously for at least 5 years, he or she can apply for an independent work permit if they will work on his or her own account.

The information above may change in the future due to the new laws that the government may make. To get the latest and detailed information about how to get work permit in Turkey, you can contact us at +90 533 158 81 81.

Published 10 July 2021. Figures, rules and timelines change — confirm the current position with an adviser before you act on anything here.