Work Permits
Application and Extension Procedures for the Lawful Employment of Foreign Nationals in Türkiye
Foreign nationals who wish to work in Türkiye must, except for the exceptions provided by law, obtain a valid work permit or a work permit exemption before starting work. The work permit is issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and, during its validity period, gives the foreign national the right to work and, as a rule, to reside in Türkiye.
Canaydın Law Firm provides legal services in assessing the application conditions of the foreign national and the employer, determining the domestic or overseas application route, preparing the employment contract and company documents, conducting the e-İzin process, and extension procedures.
- Work Permit Eligibility Assessment
- Review of Employer and Foreign National Requirements
For Which Work Permit Applications Do We Provide Services?
01 — Work Permit Application from Within Türkiye
For foreign nationals who are in Türkiye and hold a residence permit of at least six months that is still valid on the date of application, the work permit application can, as a rule, be made from within Türkiye. The application is conducted by the employer through the electronic system.
Before the application, the foreign national's existing residence permit, the employer's situation, the job description, the salary and the evaluation criteria are reviewed together.
02 — Work Permit Application from Abroad
For foreign nationals who have no residence status in Türkiye suitable for a domestic application, the process begins with a work visa application made at the Turkish diplomatic mission in the country of which the foreign national is a citizen or where they are lawfully present.
Using the reference number obtained from the diplomatic mission, the employer completes the work permit application in Türkiye through the e-İzin system.
03 — Work Permit Extension Application
To continue an existing work permit, the extension application may be made starting 60 days before the permit expires and must be made before the permit expires.
Applications made after the period has expired are evaluated under the new application procedure, not as an extension.
In the first extension application made with the same employer after the initial work permit, a work permit of up to two years may be granted, and in subsequent extensions up to three years.
04 — Foreign Company Partner or Manager
Whether a foreign national who establishes a company in Türkiye or becomes a partner in an existing company is subject to the work permit obligation independently of the company partnership is assessed separately.
For foreign company partners, the current criteria, as a rule, are:
For foreign partners whose capital share is USD 100,000 or more, the Ministry provides an exemption from the relevant capital and employment criterion.
05 — Foreign Workers in Domestic Services
For foreign nationals to be employed in domestic services, the application is reviewed according to the worker's duties, the situation of the employer and the household, and the special evaluation criteria applied to this field.
For foreign nationals to be employed in domestic services, the service contract specific to this field and the supporting documents are also evaluated.
What Is Evaluated in a Work Permit Application?
The Employer's Employment Structure
Under the general evaluation criteria, for workplaces subject to the balance sheet basis, the employment of at least five Turkish citizens for each foreign national to be employed is the principle. At workplaces whose net sales in the last year are TRY 50 million or more, this employment criterion is not applied for the first five foreign nationals.
The Employer's Financial Adequacy
For operating workplaces subject to the balance sheet basis, at least one of the following criteria generally has to be met: paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000, net sales of at least TRY 8,000,000, or exports of at least USD 150,000. The current evaluation criteria are checked separately before the application.
Salary Criterion
The salary to be paid to the foreign national cannot be below the minimum ratios determined according to the work and position. Under the current general criteria: 5 times the gross minimum wage for senior executives and pilots, 4 times for engineers and architects, 3 times for other managers, 2 times for jobs requiring expertise or mastery, and at least the minimum wage for domestic services and other occupations.
Is the 5 Turkish Employee Requirement Applicable to Every Employer?
No.
In addition to the general evaluation criteria, exceptions or special evaluation criteria may apply depending on the legal status of the foreign national, the size of the employer, the sector, the occupation and the nature of the work.
For example, for some foreign nationals who have been lawfully present in Türkiye for at least three years within the last five years, excluding student residence, the employment and financial adequacy criteria may not apply within certain limits.
In addition, holders of a long-term residence permit, holders of a humanitarian residence permit, foreign nationals who have been living in a marital union with a Turkish citizen for at least three years, and certain other categories determined by the Ministry may be exempt from the general employment, financial adequacy and salary criteria. An exemption does not mean that the work permit will be granted automatically.
Does a Work Permit Replace a Residence Permit?
As a rule, yes.
A work permit or work permit exemption granted under Law No. 6735 replaces a residence permit under Law No. 6458.
However, different rules apply to work permits granted to international protection applicants, conditional refugees and foreign nationals under temporary protection.
Is the Work Permit Tied to the Employer?
A fixed-term work permit is, as a rule, issued in the initial application for a specific employer, workplace and job.
In the initial application, the permit may be granted for a maximum of one year, not exceeding the term of the employment or service contract.
If the foreign national wishes to move to another employer, the effect of the application on the existing permit should be assessed separately. Applications made for a different employer are handled under the new application procedure, not as an extension.
Types of Work Permits
Fixed-Term Work Permit
This is a work permit issued for a specific employer, job and period. A maximum of one year may be granted in the initial application.
Indefinite Work Permit
Foreign nationals who hold a long-term residence permit or have had a lawful work permit for at least eight years may apply. Meeting the conditions does not make the granting of the permit automatic.
Independent Work Permit
This is a work permit that gives the foreign national the right to work on their own name and account, and is assessed separately within the scope of international labor force policy.
What Do We Review for an Initial Application?
The Foreign National's Status in Türkiye
The residence permit, visa and status of presence in Türkiye are reviewed.
The Employer's Company Structure
The trade registry, capital, operating status and number of employees are checked.
Job and Position
The job, occupation and job description of the foreign national are evaluated.
Salary
The current salary criterion to be applied according to the position is checked.
Education and Professional Documents
Diplomas and professional documents are reviewed according to the nature of the application.
Employment Contract
The suitability of the contract between the employer and the foreign national for the application is checked.
Special Sector or Occupation Criteria
Whether the application is subject to special evaluation criteria is determined.
What We Do for You
Determining the Application Route
The domestic or overseas work permit procedure is determined.
Review of Employer Eligibility
Employment, capital, turnover, exports and other evaluation criteria are checked.
Review of the Foreign National's Eligibility
Residence status, occupation, education and job status are evaluated.
Preparing the Employment Contract and Documents
The legal documents for the application are prepared and checked.
e-İzin Application
The application process is conducted through the e-İzin system of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
Extension and Change of Employer
The extension of the existing work permit or a move to a new employer is evaluated.
Application Follow-Up
Additional information and document requests and the Ministry's evaluation process are followed.
How the Process Works
- 01
Review of the Foreign National and the Employer
Lawful stay, company, job and employment structure are evaluated.
- 02
Determining the Application Route
The domestic or overseas application procedure is determined.
- 03
Checking the Evaluation Criteria
Employment, financial adequacy, salary and, where applicable, special criteria are reviewed.
- 04
Preparing the Document Plan
The documents to be prepared by the foreign national and the employer are determined.
- 05
Employment Contract and Application File
The documents showing the employment relationship and the job are prepared.
- 06
e-İzin Application
The electronic work permit application is made.
- 07
Additional Documents and Review
The Ministry's requests for additional information or documents are evaluated.
- 08
Work Permit
If the application is concluded favorably, the work permit process is completed.
If You Do Not Meet the Work Permit Requirements
If the application does not meet the general or special evaluation criteria, it can be assessed legally whether it is possible to change the foreign national's status, the employer's structure or the planned working model.
Has Your Work Permit Application Been Refused or Your Permit Cancelled?
If a work permit application is refused or an existing permit is cancelled, the grounds of the decision and the date of notification are reviewed, and the administrative and judicial remedies that may be available are assessed separately.
Do You Have a Pending Work Permit Application?
For a work permit application made earlier, the necessary follow-up steps can be determined by reviewing the current stage of the file, the employer and foreign national documents, and the Ministry's requests for additional documents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a residence permit give the right to work?
In general, a residence permit alone does not give the right to work. An appropriate work permit or a work permit exemption under the legislation is required in order to work.
What happens to my residence status if my work permit is cancelled?
Since a work permit also replaces a residence permit, the cancellation of the permit ends this basis. Whether the person has another basis for residence must be assessed separately.