Work Permits in Türkiye: Application, Durations and Objections

As a rule, a foreign national can work in Türkiye only with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. This applies both to those employed by an employer and to foreign nationals working on their own account. The main legislation is International Labour Force Law No. 6735, published in the Official Gazette of 13 August 2016, and its implementing regulation.

A work permit is a matter for the employer as well as the foreign national. In most cases the employer files the application, and consequences such as refusal, cancellation and administrative fines also affect the employer directly. Companies planning to employ foreign staff should therefore build the work permit timetable into the recruitment process from the start.

Types of work permit

Fixed-term work permit

This is the most common type. It is granted to a foreign national to work in a specific job at a specific workplace or business. According to the information published by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, it is issued for up to one year on the first application. On renewal with the same employer, a permit of up to two years may be granted for the first renewal and up to three years for subsequent renewals. If the foreign national wishes to work for a different employer, the application is treated as a first application, not a renewal.

Indefinite work permit

Foreign nationals holding a long-term residence permit or who have held lawful work permits for at least eight years may apply for an indefinite work permit. Meeting the conditions does not mean the permit will be granted; the Ministry's assessment remains decisive. Holders of an indefinite work permit enjoy the rights provided by a long-term residence permit; the rights to vote, stand for election and enter public service are outside this status.

Independent work permit

This is granted for a fixed term to foreign nationals who will work in their own name and on their own account. The assessment takes into account the foreign national's level of education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, the impact of the activity on the economy and employment and, where the foreign national is a shareholder of a company, their share of the capital. Being a shareholder does not in itself confer the right to work; a separate permit assessment is made for shareholders who will actually serve as managers of the company. For company formation and shareholding structure, see our Commercial and Corporate Law page.

Turquoise Card

The Turquoise Card is granted, in line with international labour force policy, to foreign nationals considered suitable on criteria such as level of education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, or investment. After the transition period provided in the Law, the card becomes indefinite if the conditions continue to be met, and gives its holder the rights of an indefinite work permit. A family member card, which replaces a residence permit, is issued to the holder's spouse and dependent children.

Exemptions

For certain activities listed in the implementing regulation, an exemption from the work permit requirement may be granted for limited periods. An exemption is also an approval obtained by applying to the Ministry; starting work considered to fall within an exemption without approval may be treated as unauthorised work. The employment of foreign nationals under temporary protection is governed by a separate regulation.

How to apply

Applications from within Türkiye are made electronically directly to the Ministry; for employees, the employer starts the application on the system. To apply from within Türkiye, the foreign national is generally required to hold a valid residence permit. For applications from abroad, the foreign national applies to the Turkish diplomatic mission in the country of which they are a citizen or where they are lawfully present, and the employer submits the necessary documents to the Ministry electronically in the same process.

The file usually includes the foreign national's passport, photograph, diploma and, where required, an equivalence certificate, the employment contract or job offer, and the employer's trade registry, activity and financial statement information. For some professions, such as health and education, prior approval from the relevant authority is required. The implementing regulation also sets assessment criteria such as the number of Turkish citizens employed at the workplace and the employer's financial size; as these criteria may change over time, the current text should be checked before applying.

Under the Law, applications with complete information and documents are decided within thirty days (Art. 7). A notice of missing documents extends this period in practice; having a complete file on the day of application therefore directly determines how quickly the process moves.

Renewal, cancellation and expiry

Applications to renew a fixed-term work permit must be made within the sixty days before the permit expires and in any case before it expires. An application made after expiry is not processed as a renewal. Indefinite work permit and Turquoise Card documents must also be renewed at the intervals set by the Ministry.

A work permit may be cancelled, for example, where the conditions on which it was granted no longer exist, it is used for a purpose other than the one granted, or it emerges that false documents were submitted. If the foreign national leaves the job, the work permit and the associated right of residence may end. Since a valid work permit replaces a residence permit (YUKK Art. 27), the foreign national must obtain an appropriate residence permit to continue staying in Türkiye once the work permit ends.

Objections to refusal and cancellation

Refusal and cancellation decisions are notified to the applicant and, for employer-based permits, to the employer. An objection may be filed with the Ministry within thirty days of notification; if the objection is rejected, the matter may be taken to the administrative courts (Art. 21). In practice, the objection should be supported by new documents that remedy the deficiency stated in the refusal. If the objection is also rejected, an annulment action may be filed against the refusal under Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577.

Employer obligations and administrative fines

The employer must notify the Ministry, within the fifteen-day period provided in the Law, of circumstances affecting the permit, such as the foreign national not starting work or the end of the employment relationship (Art. 22). Registering the foreign employee for insurance under Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510 is a separate obligation.

An administrative fine is imposed on employers who employ a foreign national without a work permit, for each foreign national, and separately on the foreign national working without a permit (Art. 23). Breach of the notification obligation is also subject to a fine. As fine amounts are updated each year by the revaluation rate, current amounts should be followed in the Ministry's announcements. In addition, the employer may have to cover the accommodation, return travel and necessary medical expenses of the foreign national employed without a permit and of any family members. For the foreign national, working without a permit is listed among the grounds for deportation under YUKK Art. 54.

Common problems

Many problems in practice arise from timing: the foreign national starting work before the permit is issued, renewal applications left to the last days, and not knowing that a change of employer requires a new application. Another frequent problem is that the salary and position in the employment contract do not match what was stated in the application. Foreign shareholders actually running the company's business without a permit, believing that being a shareholder gives them the right to work, can also lead to fines.

Our work in this area

We carry out pre-application eligibility assessments for employers who will employ foreign staff and assist with preparing application and renewal files. We handle objections and court proceedings against refusals and cancellations and assess the remedies against administrative fines. For employment contracts, termination and social security, see our Employment and Social Security Law page.

Main topics

Fixed-term work permit applications and renewals
Indefinite work permit and the Turquoise Card
Independent work permit and foreign company shareholders
Work permit exemptions
Objections to refusal and cancellation (Law No. 6735, Art. 21)
Administrative fines for unauthorised employment (Art. 23)
Employer notification and social security obligations

Frequently asked questions

How long does a work permit application take?

Under Article 7 of Law No. 6735, applications with complete information and documents are decided within thirty days. If documents are missing, the period is extended in practice until the deficiency is remedied.

Will my work permit continue if I change jobs?

A fixed-term work permit is granted in connection with a specific employer. To work for a different employer, an application must be filed in the new employer's name, and it is treated as a first application.

Can I apply for a work permit while in Türkiye on a tourist visa?

Applications from within Türkiye generally require a valid residence permit; foreign nationals present on a visa or visa exemption usually apply through the Turkish diplomatic mission in their own country. The rule that applies to you should be assessed according to your residence status.

My work permit application was refused. What can I do?

You can file an objection with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security within thirty days of notification of the refusal. If the objection is also rejected, an annulment action can be filed before the administrative court. It is important to submit documents in the objection that remedy the deficiency stated in the refusal.

Does a foreign shareholder in my company need a separate work permit?

Being a shareholder does not in itself give the right to work. A work permit must be obtained for a foreign shareholder who will actually serve as a manager or employee of the company; an independent work permit or the other options in the Law are assessed according to the shareholding structure.

Legislation and sources

The information on this page is general and does not constitute legal advice. As legislation may change, the current rules must be assessed separately for your particular situation.

Work Permits for Foreign Nationals