Turkey's 2027 Presidential Annual Programme plans a new regulation for qualified foreigners, wider use of residence-purpose visas and targeted inspections of unregistered foreign employment.
This article is based on the 2027 Presidential Annual Programme published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) No. 33413 (duplicate issue) of 27 October 2026, as of 1 November 2026. The Programme is a planning document; its measures take effect only through separate laws, regulations or administrative rules. Current legislation should be checked before any application. The Turkish version of this article prevails.
For foreigners who live, work or plan to invest in Turkey, one of the clearest official signals of where policy is heading next year is the Presidential Annual Programme (Cumhurbaşkanlığı Yıllık Programı). The 2027 Programme was approved by Presidential Decision No. 11934 on 27 October 2026 and published in the Official Gazette. We have already covered its measures on urban transformation courts; this update summarises the points in the “International Migration” chapter and the employment sections that directly affect foreign nationals.
The current picture, according to the Programme
According to the Programme, as of September 2026 there were around 3.6 million foreigners in Turkey: 2.20 million Syrians under temporary protection (geçici koruma), 1.27 million foreigners holding residence permits, and about 128,000 applicants for international protection. The Programme states that practices such as steering residence-permit holders who are in Turkey to work towards work permits contributed to a 39.52% year-on-year increase in the number of work permits issued.
The document also notes recent procedural changes: since residence-permit applications can also be filed through notaries, material errors in applications have fallen significantly; student residence-permit applications are taken through universities; and since 1 July 2025 international students receive a foreigner identification number (yabancı kimlik numarası) at university registration.
Measures planned for 2027
Visas and residence
The Programme says that the residence-purpose visa scheme launched at the end of 2024, which allows the purpose of a foreigner’s stay to be assessed in the country of origin before arrival, is planned to be expanded. Under Measure 815.5, the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will introduce “a regulation on the arrival of qualified foreigners who will add value to our country and on their stay in line with its purpose”. The Programme does not give further details of its content.
Work permits and unregistered employment of foreigners
Two measures stand out in the employment chapter. Under Measure 702.1, work will be carried out within the International Labour Advisory Board (Uluslararası İşgücü Danışma Kurulu) to support the registered employment of the international workforce. Under Measure 703.2, risk analyses will be carried out in sectors where foreign nationals are employed in large numbers, followed by planned inspections at workplaces where unregistered employment of foreigners is common. The Programme also recalls that a regulation allowing certain costs of deporting foreigners who worked without a permit – previously borne by the authorities – to be recovered directly from the employer entered into force on 23 January 2026.
Entrepreneurs and investors
Under Measure 559.4, promotion and integration activities will be carried out for the Türkiye Tech Visa Programme, targeting specific countries and segments (entrepreneurs, remote technology professionals and investors). The Programme notes that the One-Stop Office (Tek Durak Büro) at the Istanbul Finance Centre, operational since 22 May 2026, offers company formation, tax, social security, work and residence permit procedures in one place, and that legislative work is under way to turn it into a “One-Stop Shop” model serving large international investments.
Who is affected and what should you do?
For employers of foreign staff, the clearest message is that inspections will intensify: work permits should be obtained and renewed on time, bearing in mind that unpermitted employment can now also expose the employer to deportation costs. See our work permits page and our guide to Turkish work permits.
For those planning to apply for residence, the growing weight of the visa-stage assessment makes it even more important to document the purpose of stay correctly from the outset. Our residence permits and immigration law pages cover applications and refusals.
Frequently asked questions
Do the measures in the Annual Programme take effect immediately?
No. The Annual Programme is a planning document; its measures are implemented through laws, regulations or administrative rules issued by the relevant authorities. Publication of the Programme does not by itself change application requirements.
What will the regulation for “qualified foreigners” bring?
The Programme only states that such a regulation will be introduced under the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior; its content, scope and timing are not specified. It will need to be assessed once published.
What risks does an employer face for employing a foreigner without a permit?
The Programme notes that a regulation allowing deportation costs of a foreigner who worked without a permit to be recovered from the employer entered into force on 23 January 2026, and that planned inspections will be carried out in 2027 in sectors with many foreign workers.
Assessment
In the field of foreign nationals, the 2027 Programme aims to make things easier for qualified workers, students and investors while stepping up enforcement against unregistered employment of foreigners. How these measures play out will depend on the regulations to be issued in the coming months. For questions on residence, work permits or employing foreign staff, you can contact us.
Sources
This content is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice.