Who is required to obtain a work permit?
If you have signed an employment contract with a company in Türkiye, you cannot begin work solely on the basis of that contract. A valid residence permit does not, by itself, confer the right to work. As a rule, a foreign national must obtain a work permit or an applicable work permit exemption before starting work. In most cases, the permit is tied to a specific employer, workplace and position. A new application may be required when changing employers.
The International Labour Force Law No. 6735 (6735 sayılı Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu) sets out the principal rules governing work permits. As a rule, a work permit also serves as a residence permit for its period of validity. Special rules apply to applicants for international protection, conditional refugees and foreign nationals under temporary protection. Blue Card holders and persons with refugee or subsidiary protection status are also subject to different provisions. The person’s legal status in Türkiye must therefore be determined before selecting the application procedure.
Should the application be made in Türkiye or from abroad?
An appropriate residence permit is required for an application to be made in Türkiye on behalf of a foreign national who is already in the country. The residence permit must have been issued for a period of at least six months and must remain valid on the application date. The employer or a person authorised by the employer usually applies through the Foreign Nationals’ Work Permit Application System on e-Devlet. Certain foreign nationals designated by the General Directorate may apply from within Türkiye without holding a valid residence permit.
If the requirements for a domestic application are not met, the process begins at a Turkish diplomatic or consular mission. The foreign national applies to the Turkish embassy or consulate general in the country of citizenship or lawful residence. The diplomatic or consular mission issues the foreign national a 16-digit reference number. The employer in Türkiye uses this number to complete the electronic application. The procedure completed by the foreign national at the diplomatic or consular mission does not replace the employer’s application through the system.
The principal documents include the employment contract, passport, diploma and the workplace’s financial records. Additional documents or prior authorisation may be required depending on the occupation and sector. Duly submitted applications containing complete information and documents are assessed within thirty days. If additional documents are requested, the period runs from the date on which they are uploaded to the system. This period does not mean that a permit will be granted; it is merely the assessment period.
What requirements must the employer and foreign national meet?
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security assesses the application in accordance with the international labour force policy and the published assessment criteria. As a general rule, workplaces subject to balance-sheet accounting must employ at least five Turkish citizens for each foreign national. A newly established workplace must have paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000. An operating workplace must satisfy one of three financial thresholds: paid-in capital of TRY 500,000, net sales of TRY 8,000,000 or exports of USD 150,000. Sector-specific exemptions and special provisions remain applicable.
The gross salary declared for the foreign national must meet the minimum threshold applicable to the position. For senior executives and pilots, the threshold is five times the gross minimum wage. A multiple of four applies to engineers and architects. Other managers must receive three times the gross minimum wage. For positions requiring expertise or skilled workmanship, the threshold is twice the gross minimum wage. For domestic services and other work, the salary may not be lower than the gross minimum wage. The position stated in the application, the salary under the contract and the work actually performed must be consistent.
Meeting these criteria does not, by itself, create an entitlement to a permit. The Ministry also considers the labour market, the foreign national’s qualifications and whether the work requires expertise. Work permits are not issued for occupations reserved exclusively for Turkish citizens. Prior authorisation from the relevant public authority may be required in sectors such as healthcare and education. An incorrect occupation code, missing financial documents or a salary inconsistent with the contract may result in refusal.
Must every workplace employ five Turkish citizens?
Employing five Turkish citizens is not an invariable requirement for every application. The criteria contain special provisions for information technology, tourism, healthcare, education, animal husbandry and certain manufacturing activities. For example, the employment and financial capacity criteria do not apply to certain information technology positions. A tourism business’s operating licence, activities and the foreign national’s position may also affect the assessment. In the healthcare and education sectors, prior authorisation from the relevant ministry or the Council of Higher Education (Yükseköğretim Kurulu) may be required.
Under the exemption that entered into force on 3 August 2026, the employment and financial capacity criteria do not apply to certain domestic applications. The foreign national must have lawfully remained in Türkiye for at least one year during the previous three years. The exemption applies to no more than three foreign nationals at the same workplace who meet this requirement. The number of foreign employees covered by the exemption may not exceed the number of Turkish citizen employees. The general criteria apply again to the fourth and subsequent foreign nationals.
Being a shareholder in a company does not, by itself, confer the right to work. Separate financial and employment criteria apply to a foreign national who is a company shareholder or is self-employed. The shareholding percentage, capital contributed to the company and employment to be created during the permit period are assessed together. Completion of the company’s incorporation does not guarantee approval of the work permit application.
How long is a work permit valid, and how is it extended?
An initial fixed-term work permit may not exceed the term of the employment or service contract. On the initial application, the permit is issued for no more than one year. The first extension application for work with the same employer may result in a permit of up to two years. For subsequent extensions, the maximum period is three years. These are maximum periods. The Ministry may issue a permit for a shorter period depending on the circumstances of the application.
An extension application may be submitted once sixty days remain before the current permit expires. In all cases, the application must be completed before the permit expires. An application made after expiry is not treated as an extension and is assessed under the rules governing initial applications. A foreign national who submits a timely extension application may continue working in the same position and workplace until a decision is issued. This arrangement may continue for no more than ninety days after the previous permit expires.
What can be done if a work permit application is refused?
An application may be refused because the assessment criteria are not met, the required qualifications have not been established or the occupation is closed to foreign nationals. False or misleading documents also constitute grounds for refusal. Statutory grounds relating to public order, public security and public health are considered separately. The grounds for refusal and the application file should be examined together. A missing document may not have the same legal consequences as an adverse finding on the merits.
An objection may be filed through the electronic system within thirty days of notification of the Ministry’s decision. The objection petition must respond specifically to the grounds for refusal and include supporting documents. If the Ministry rejects the objection, proceedings may be brought before the administrative courts. A new application may also be submitted if the ground for refusal can be remedied. However, a new application does not automatically suspend the time limits for an objection or court proceedings.
The judgment of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State (Danıştay) dated 22 June 2022, numbered E.2017/3116 and K.2022/3433, illustrates judicial review in this field. The Chamber required adequate and serious information to support annulment on grounds of public order and security. Information that emerges after the administrative act was adopted cannot, by itself, substantiate the earlier grounds for that act. The dispute concerned the period governed by Law No. 4817, which was in force on the date of the act and was subsequently repealed. Nevertheless, the judgment establishes that the grounds for an administrative act must exist on the date when the act is adopted.
What steps must be taken after the permit is granted?
A favourable decision does not mean that all procedures relating to the application have been completed. The assessed work permit fee and valuable paper fee must be paid within thirty days. If payment is not made on time, the application is refused. Following an overseas application, the foreign national enters Türkiye after obtaining a work visa. Such persons must complete their address registration no later than twenty days after entry.
A foreign national who obtains a permit through a domestic application must start work within one month of the permit’s commencement date, after the applicable social security obligations have been fulfilled. For an overseas application, this period is, as a rule, one month from entry into the country. The commencement or termination of employment and any changes requiring termination of the permit must be notified to the Ministry within the prescribed time limits. A new application may be required when changing employers or performing work different from the position stated on the permit.
Working without a permit or valid exemption results in administrative sanctions for both the foreign national and the employer. A foreign national found to be working without authorisation is reported to the Ministry of Interior so that deportation measures may be considered. Such a report does not automatically produce the same outcome in every case. The foreign national’s status, how the unauthorised work was identified and the circumstances of the particular case are assessed separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must a foreign national with a residence permit also obtain a work permit?
Yes. As a rule, a residence permit does not, by itself, confer the right to work. Before starting work, the foreign national must obtain a work permit or a work permit exemption applicable to the person’s circumstances.
How long does a work permit application take?
Duly submitted applications containing complete information and documents are assessed within thirty days. If additional documents are requested, the period begins on the date when the requested documents are uploaded to the system.
May a foreign national who establishes or holds shares in a company work in Türkiye?
Establishing a company or holding shares does not, by itself, confer the right to work. A foreign national who will actively work in the company may require a work permit, depending on the applicable shareholding, capital and employment requirements.
Can a new application be made after a work permit application is refused?
A new application may be submitted after the ground for refusal has been remedied. An objection may also be filed with the Ministry within thirty days of notification of the decision. If the objection is rejected, proceedings before the administrative courts may be considered.