Work Permit in Turkey – All You Need To Know To Obtain a Work Permit in Turkey

Due to Turkey’s economic situation, its strategic location between Europe and Asia, and the fact that Turkey is a relatively good market for many investments and companies, it has become an attractive business destination in recent years. And thus the demand for employment in Turkey is increasing.

It is necessary for foreign citizens who want to work and earn money in this country to obtain a work permit.

In this article we will talk in detail about a work permit, its types and procedures for obtaining it, so stay with us.

Types of work permits in Turkey

There are 3 ways to obtain a work permit in Turkey, in the continuation of this article we will explain each of them:

1. Obtaining a work permit as an employee

In this way, you must first agree with an employer in Turkey to obtain the approval of the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

If you complete the work permit process correctly and provide the necessary documents, you will be granted a work permit in Turkey, after which you will start a certain business in a certain region.

The work permit is issued for one year, after which, this permit can be extended if both the employer and employee are satisfied.

You must apply to renew your current work permit before it expires, otherwise you cannot renew your work permit and you must apply for it again.

According to the laws of the Labor Ministry of Turkey in order to combat unemployment, Turkish citizens in each company must employ 5 Turkish employees in return for hiring any foreign employee.

Therefore, it may not be profitable to hire foreign nationals for Turkish companies, and your experience should be sufficient enough to the point that the company will be encouraged to obtain a work permit for you.

2. Obtaining a work permit as an independent employer

In this way, you can obtain a work permit as an independent employer, and to do this you must first register a company in Turkey and apply for a work permit.

The work permit is issued for the first time for a period of one year, and it will be possible to extend it.

You can start any business in Turkey, whether it is a large restaurant, a small florist or a beauty salon, all of this requires company registration.

After registering the company, you will need to obtain a work permit, and the condition is that you employ 5 Turkish employees and pay their insurance and salaries.

According to the Turkish Nationality Law, if you have been granted a Turkish work permit for 5 consecutive years, you can apply for a Turkish passport and permanent work permit.

At the end of each period of your work permit, the company’s activities documents are checked at the Ministry of Labor to ensure that the company is active and has a good profit.

It should be noted that the company’s profit in the first and second years is not very important in this process, but in the following years it is an important factor.

Note that in this method, to renew your work permit, you must send the necessary documents 60 days before its expiration date.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your passport must be valid in order to be able to apply for or renew a long-term work permit, as the law states that the work permit must be issued 6 months prior to the passport’s expiration date.

This means that if you apply for a 2-year work permit in Turkey, your passport must be valid for at least 2 years and 6 months.

Finally, you can stay in Turkey with a work permit, but you cannot work with a residence permit in Turkey.

And even if you manage to obtain a residence permit in Turkey, you will need a work permit to work in turkey.

3. Obtaining a work permit as a student

Due to the high level of Turkish universities, a large number of foreign students apply to pursue their studies in Turkey.

Under international labor law, foreign students studying for a master’s or doctoral degree at a Turkish university can apply for a work permit for a limited number of hours per week.

The student residence permit will not be changed to a work permit, and the benefits and rights granted to the student remain in full.

But note that international students studying for an associate’s or bachelor’s degree cannot apply for a work permit in Turkey.

What are the procedures for obtaining a work permit in Turkey for foreigners?

Foreigners residing outside Turkey

Foreigners residing outside Turkey are required to proceed with the application for a work permit through their employer in Turkey.

The employer must apply online to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Turkey through the website of the Ministry of Labor under the supervision of the Turkish e-Government.

After the ministry approves the application, the applicant must apply for a work visa within 90 days, you can get your work permit from the Turkish embassy in your country and then go to Turkey.

Foreigners residing in Turkey

Applicants residing for a period of at least 6 months in Turkey can apply to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs within Turkey.

People who have obtained a Turkish tourist residence and want to convert it into a work residence, they must agree with an employer in Turkey and send the application directly from him.

Turkish work permit renewal

The work permit is usually issued for one year and must be renewed.

The application for the extension of the work permit is submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Turkey.

The work permit renewal application must be submitted 60 days before its expiry date.

If the extension request is not accepted, the applicant can have 30 days after notification of the result, during which he can appeal.

Important Notes

• It is possible to obtain permanent residence in Turkey through your work permit, it must be renewed every year and apply for permanent residence in Turkey after 5 consecutive years.
• One of the most important benefits of a work permit in Turkey is to obtain health insurance, where it is possible to obtain an insurance called SSK, which also includes retirement, and the premium must be paid by the employer and will not be deducted from your salary.
• The only way to get a work permit in Turkey is through your employer, no individual, company or office can do it for you, they can only guide you in the job search process or the laws related to work in Turkey.
• There are strict and complex rules for the work of foreign nationals in Turkey in order to reduce the unemployment rate for Turkish citizens in this country, So you have to have excellent skills to find a job in Turkey.
• Any foreigner can apply for any advertised job in Turkey, but the priority of companies is usually to employ Turkish citizens, and if they do not find the right person, the employer would have to hire a foreigner
• After obtaining the Turkish work permit, the duration of your stay becomes the duration of your work permit. For example if you have obtained a work permit for 3 years but you have 8 months remaining of your tourist residence, you do not need to apply to renew the tourist residence in Turkey, The duration of the work permit is the length of your stay.

FAQs

❓ How long does it take to respond to a Turkish work permit application?

The result of the application sent by the Ministry will be sent within a maximum of 30 days, and the Ministry will notify the applicant of the result by email.

❓ How to apply for a work permit?

Applying for a work permit is done through the website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Turkey, and the employer must register your employment application.

❓ What are the types of work permits in Turkey?

Work permit as an employee with an employer in Turkey, work permit through company registration in Turkey and student work permit.

❓ Is it possible to obtain a work permit for students?

Not all students residing in Turkey will be allowed to work in Turkey, as postgraduate students can work in this country under certain conditions, but their study residence will not become a work residence, and they will have limited working hours during the week.

While undergraduate students will not be allowed to obtain a work permit.