Work Permit Application

Companies that employ foreign workers and foreigners who want to work in Turkey must meet certain conditions.

Below conditions to be fullfilled by the employer and foreign worker;

*The employer has to employ at least  Five (5)  Turkish personnel in the workplace

Note: 5 Turkish personnel will be required for each foreign personnel

*The company which will employ foreign personel must have at least TRY 100.000 paid capital. ( If it is not provided, the gross sales of the company are taken into consideration. Sales must be TRY 800.000 or the overseas sales must be at least USD 250.000

*If the applicant is a shareholder of a company ( he/she must have a capital of minimum TRY 40.000 and  the share rate must be at least 20%.)

*The salary paid to the applicant must comply with his/her professional competence

• 6.5 times the minmum wage for the senior managers and pilots

• 4 times the minimum wage for the unit /branch directors, architects and engineers

• 3 times the minimum wage for the teachers ( if job requires speciality or mastership)

• 2 times the minimum wage for the foreigners who will be employed in tourism , animation or organization companies as acrobats or in similar positions and masseurs or SPA therapists.

• At least minimum wage for the foreigners who will be employed in household services

• 1.5 time the minimum wage for the foreigners who will work other than the above

Some work permit applications have been finalized without work permit evaluation criteria, Please get information about current procedures from our company.

There are 2 different application types ;

1- Application at Turkish Embassy in Relevant Country

2-Application in Turkey  (through residence permit)

Application at Turkish Embassy in Relevant Country

The  applicant who does not have a residence permit in Turkey or who cannot apply for a residence permit in Turkey, has to apply work visa to Turkish Consulate in his/her own country.  After submitting the application documents, the Turkish Consulate will give him/her the reference number.    We will complete the application by using this reference number and required documents. After ministry finalizes the application possitively, applicant must go to Turkish Consulate again to have work visa stamp on passport.

Important note: The company must create a workplace registration on the Ministry of Labor page by using electronic signature and registrated e-mail (KEP)

Required documents to be submited to Turkish Consulate of applicant’s country

• Application form (one copy of printed online application form signed by the employer and the employee)  will be prepared by us
• Work agreement ( Between worker and company) will be prepared by us
• Copy of the passport ( If the passport is not printed in Latin Alphabet, its official translation must be attached. )
• The Trade Registry Gazette of the company ( detailing the current shareholding and capital structure of the entity)
• Notarized sworn translation of the diploma or provisional graduation certificate
• Company’s certificate of activity
• Criminal record of the applicant
• 2 photos of the applicant
• Company’s signature circulars
• Tax registration certificate
• Address registration documents ( may be requested )

Note: The list of documents is not fixed and it can be changed after the application file is examined

Application in Turkey (through residence permit):

If any applicant has a valid residence permit for 6 months in Turkey,  The work permit application can be directly made to the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security . Therefore there is no need to get work visa.

This period may take 2-3 months due to workload density of the ministry .

Note: Foreign employee will not be entitled to work legally in Turkey until the work permit application procedure has been completed.

Note: The first application for work permit is given for a maximum of one year then it is extended for two years and for three years . The extension period starts two months before the valid work permit date

The fines for illegal foreign workers are as follows (for in 2023)

A foreignerwho works in a company without a work permit will be fined 14.318 TL

A foreigner who works independently without a work permit will be fined 28.655 TL

Employers who employ foreigners who do not have a work permit will be fined 35.815 TL ( for each foreign employee)

If a foreigner , works for a company and  the relevant company does not notify authorities in due time are  also subject to fines  2.378 TL  ( This amount must be paid by the company for each foreign employee)

In case of repetition of these acts, the administrative fines are doubled. 

RL Turkey Immigration & Relocation office is going to provide up-to-date information on changes in the immigration laws and regulations.