Turkish work visa – How to obtain a visa to work in Turkey – All you need to know

August 30, 2021

Due to its privileged location between the European and Asian continents, Turkey is a good destination for people who want to work abroad to earn more money.

Working in Turkey is a great opportunity for people who want to establish new business relationships due to the trade and economic openness of this country.

Looking for work in Turkey and working in this country requires a Turkish work visa.

So if you are not familiar with how to get a work visa in Turkey and find a job in Istanbul and other provinces of this country, follow this article to the end.

General description of work visa in Turkey

In order for a work permit to be issued in Turkey, you must submit your application to the Turkish consulate or embassy in your country.

You must also apply for a work permit at the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services at the same time.

Work visas in Turkey are usually issued on a six-month basis.

However, after three months of residence in Turkey, you must apply to the General Directorate of Immigration of Turkey and apply for a short-term residence permit.

After that, the duration of the work permit in Turkey will be increased to about one year.

But after one year you can extend it to two or three years.

After living and working in Turkey for eight consecutive years, you can apply for a permanent work permit. This license does not need to be renewed.

Types of work permits in Turkey

Depending on the type of residence of the foreign worker in Turkey, there are two different ways to obtain a work permit:

Foreign workers with a valid residence permit: This permit can be issued in the form of tourist visas, medical treatment, sports activities and the like.
This permit must be valid for at least 6 months.

Important note: People who have a residence permit for educational purposes cannot use this facility and must apply directly to the Turkish Ministry of Labor.

If the foreigner does not have a valid residence permit: he/she must go to the Turkish Consulate and obtain a valid permit.

Conditions for obtaining a work visa in Turkey

The process of applying for a work visa in Turkey is slightly different from the process of applying for other visas to enter this country.

Because in this process, you are not the only person involved in the matter, the employer should also participate in the process and provide employment documents and other necessary documents when needed.

Important Note: You must have received a job offer or a work contract from an employer in Turkey before applying for a work permit in Turkey.

Without a specific job offer in Turkey, you cannot start the process of obtaining a Turkish work visa.

Eligibility for a work visa in Turkey depends on your goal of finding a job in Istanbul or other provinces in the country.

In other words, these conditions depend on the job title you are applying for in that country.

For example, you can enter Turkey as an entrepreneur with the aim of investing and creating jobs.

Also, other job titles such as university lecturer, athlete, artist, free zone worker, journalist and repairman can be other job objectives for working in Turkey for which you can apply for a visa.

Once you have decided on the job title you want to apply for, you can apply online and answer questions about your personal information and travel goals.

After you submit your online application, you will receive an appointment for an interview.

When you come to the embassy for an interview, you must have these documents with you:

Completed Turkish work visa application form.
A passport valid for at least six months after arrival in Turkey.
Two personal photos.
A certificate of no criminal record proving that you are not wanted or have had no legal problems in the past.
The job offer in which you must specify the position, the monthly salary and the period of validity of your contract.
Translator diploma or translation of a temporary graduation certificate.
A certificate equivalent to a diploma or a temporary graduation degree that must be equivalent to a foreign higher education institution.
insurance.
Proof of residence in Turkey, including a rental contract or a property purchase contract in Turkey.
Financial evidence to be submitted at the request of the Turkish authorities. In this guide, you must have proof that you have at least 50 euros for each day you want to stay in Turkey.

What are the steps to apply for a work visa in Turkey?

Once you have completed the job search process in Turkey and received a job offer from the employer, you must apply for a work visa in Turkey.

You can apply for a work permit in Turkey two months before you leave Turkey. However, this period should not be less than a month before departure.

After applying for a work visa in Turkey, the employer has 10 days to submit the necessary documents as employment documents to the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services (MLSS).

Warning: If the employer does not submit the required documents in time, your application will be rejected due to incomplete documents.

Therefore, you should coordinate with your employer at all stages.

On the day of the interview, you should be at the embassy or consulate on time and make sure you bring all your documents with you.

When you visit the Turkish Embassy for an interview, you must notify your employer so that they can manage the time of application.

An interview is actually a short meeting with an officer at the consulate, where you will be asked about the job offer you received and your work history.

After the interview, the employer must submit additional documents to the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security within ten working days of your application.

Important note: In the end, it is the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services that decides whether you are allowed to work in Turkey or not.

If the application is approved, the work permit in Turkey will be equivalent to the residence permit in that country.

For this reason, in addition to the cost of the visa, you must also pay for a work and residence permit in this country.

After your application is confirmed, you have a maximum of 180 days to enter Turkey.

When you arrive in Turkey, you must register with the Turkish Address Registration System within one month of your arrival.

What documents must the employer submit to the Turkish Ministry of Labor to obtain a permit?

As we said, the road to obtaining a work permit in Turkey is a two-way street that you and your employer must take in Turkey at the same time and in parallel.

The employer in Turkey must provide the following as part of the work permit process in this country:

Work permit application letter.
Application form for foreign individuals.
Details of the current contribution and capital structure of the business unit.
Balance sheet and profit and loss statement for a recent year approved by the tax office or chartered accountant.
Notarized power of attorney for the person who is allowed to register the file online as a user, by a foreign labor establishment or organization.

How to find a job in Turkey?

As mentioned, one of the main requirements for obtaining a work visa in Turkey is to find work in this country.

This means that if you do not get an offer to work or invest in a Turkish company, you cannot apply for a work visa in Turkey.

Therefore, before taking any action, you must complete the job search process in Turkey.

You can apply for it through recruitment agencies in Istanbul or any other province of this country.

Two good news: When you receive a job offer, getting a work visa in Turkey will not be so difficult.

In addition, even if you lose your job, your work permit in Turkey will not be revoked. So focus on finding a job to make your way to Turkey smoother.

Important note: If you have successfully completed the job search process and received a job offer, it is likely that your knowledge of the Turkish language will not be important to the employer.

There are several ways to find a job in Turkey that we would like to introduce to you in the following:

When you start the process of searching for a job in Turkey or in Istanbul or any other province, there are many websites that can pave the way for you.

You can read more about finding a job in Turkey here.

You can start this journey with Google. It is best to look for a job that you would like to do during your job search in Turkey.

For example, you can search for the phrase (Arabic teacher in Gaziantep) or (Delivery driver in Ankara).

You can also get help from Facebook Jobs to find a job in Turkey.

This can be a good way to find out about jobs around you.

You can also join different Facebook groups related to your profession, language or nationality.

Warning: Note that this is an unofficial way to find work in Turkey. Therefore, do not rely too much on offers made in this way and try to use them only to see what job opportunities are available.

Find a job through employment websites in Turkey

If you are looking for a job in a specific region of Turkey or you just want to spend your time searching for a job in Istanbul, you can use these websites which are available to all job seekers. And the most famous

Concluding

Working in Turkey is a good opportunity for foreigners who have skills or experience in a particular field.

It is important to note that in order to obtain a Turkish work visa, you must have a work permit from a Turkish employer.

So first of all you have to apply for a job in Turkey through reputable websites.

You can also apply for a job in a specific area, such as finding a job in Istanbul, through these sites.

In many cases, you do not need to be fluent in Turkish to work in Turkey.

But mastering this language or English can be a positive thing for you.

In addition, after obtaining a work permit from a Turkish employer, you must coordinate all the steps of obtaining a Turkish work visa with him, because this process in Turkey is a parallel process that you and the employer must go through.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to process a Turkish work visa application and obtain a work permit in this country?

After the employer submits the documents required to employ a foreign employee in Turkey, a maximum of thirty days is spent on processing the information and documents at the Turkish Ministry of Labor. This period is subject to submission of complete documents.

Is it possible to work in Turkey without knowing Turkish?

It all depends on the job you are applying for. According to some jobs, you can work in Turkey completely without having to know the Turkish language completely.

What is the cost of obtaining a work visa in Turkey?

These costs depend on the type of work permit. The following table shows the range of costs in 2021:

Permit type	Minimum Cost (Turkish Lira)	Maximum Cost (Turkish Lira)
Temporary work permit (for one year)	761	932
permanent work permit	7612	9331
Independent work permit	7612	9331