Work Residence in Turkey

Turkey work permit or “Çalışma İzin,” has long been recognized as one of the common methods for obtaining residency in Turkey. The path to obtaining a work residence in Turkey is as follows: individuals must first obtain their work permit from the Ministry of Labor of Turkey. After receiving the permit, they can apply for their work residence through the Turkey Immigration Office. There are two ways to obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labor: either by being self-employed and registering a company or by working as an employee in a company registered in Turkey. Each of these two methods has its own specific rules and conditions.

As long as you hold a work residence in Turkey, you will enjoy all the rights granted to foreign nationals who legally reside in Turkey, such as obtaining residency for your spouse and children under 18, access to social security insurance, and permission for your children to study. Additionally, after five consecutive years of legal residency, you can apply for a passport and Turkish citizenship. Experts and specialists at Hometurkie Holding provide you with comprehensive information on this page about work residence in Turkey.

Turkey work permit (Çalışma İzni)

Çalışma İzin, or work permit, is an official permit that allows you to work legally in Turkey and obtain residence in the country. Applicants can apply for a work permit from within Turkey or from their home country (through the Turkish consulate in their own country). An essential point regarding the Turkey work permit is having at least six months of prior residency in Turkey. This means that foreign nationals seeking a Turkish work permit must have held one of the types of Turkish residence for at least six months.

To clarify, suppose someone is applying for a work permit for the first time and has no prior residency in Turkey. This person must first obtain one of the types of Turkish residency (tourist, study, or property-based). After six months of residence in Turkey, they can apply for a work permit. This person can apply either from within Turkey or through the Turkish embassy in their home country.

However, applying for a work permit from within Turkey is easier, as companies applying from abroad are more scrutinized by the Turkish consulate.

Conditions for Obtaining Çalışma İzin or Work Permit in Turkey

Let’s look at the requirements for obtaining a work permit in Turkey:

Conditions for Individuals Applying as Employees (Workers or Staff)

A letter from the company to the Ministry of Labor explaining the reasons for hiring foreign workers

Countries generally prioritize job opportunities for their own citizens, with young workers given preference. However, there are some fields where domestic talent cannot meet the industry’s needs. In such cases, governments allow foreign specialists to fill these gaps under certain regulations.

The first requirement for a work permit application is a letter from the Turkish company to the government detailing why foreign labor is needed. Thus, having an accredited degree or an international certification in a skill scarce in Turkey is necessary.

Minimum six months of prior residency in Turkey.

An individual applying for a work permit in Turkey for the first time must have at least six months of residence in Turkey (in one of the tourist, property or study residencies).

Earnings of at least 1.5 times the Turkish minimum wage

The minimum salary for individuals with a work permit in Turkey must be at least 1.5 times the Turkish minimum wage. The table below specifies the salary levels for different job categories:

استخر روباز	سینمای سرپوشیده	اتاق کنفرانس
سونا	حمام ترکی	سالن SPA
سالن ورزشی	سالن بیلیارد	سالن پلی‌استیشن
کافه و رستوران	آرایشگاه	نگهبانی ۲۴ ساعته
فضای سبز	محل بازی کودکان	زمین بسکتبال
گرمایش مرکزی	مرکز خرید	نمای دریا
سرویس فرودگاه	مخزن آب	سیستم مخابرات

Requirements for Companies Requesting Foreign Workers

As of January 1, 2025, companies requesting a work permit must be active and meet one of the following conditions:

The company’s capital must be at least 500,000 Turkish lira (this amount should be in the company’s bank account for at least one day, and a certificate of capital should be obtained from the bank).

The company’s net sales in the previous year must be at least 8,000,000 Turkish lira.

Their exports in the last year must be at least 150,000 USD.

If one of the above conditions is met, the company must employ five Turkish citizens for every foreign worker hired.

Exceptions:

If the company’s net sales in the previous year were 50,000,000 Turkish lira, the requirement to employ five Turkish citizens does not apply.

If the applicant has resided continuously in Turkey for three of the last five years (excluding student residency), they are exempt from the financial requirement. Additionally, up to three foreign nationals can be employed alongside three Turkish citizens. If the foreign workforce exceeds three, each additional foreign worker requires five Turkish employees.

The employer’s conditions for obtaining a work permit

If the applicant for a work permit is the owner of the company or one of its shareholders:

• The capital of the company should be 500,000 liras in the bank and the minimum share of the applicant’s participation should be 20% (40,000 liras).
• For each foreign shareholder who applies for a work permit, 5 Turkish workers must be officially employed.

Benefits of Obtaining Çalışma İzin

Obtaining a work permit or Çalışma İzin in Turkey offers several benefits, including:

• Legal work rights in Turkey and entitlement to benefits as per Turkish Ministry of Labor law.
• Turkish residency for spouses and children under 18.
• Access to social insurance.
• Higher income and job opportunities.
• The option to apply for citizenship after five years of consecutive work.
• Children’s access to education in Turkey.

A Turkish work permit also allows foreign nationals to obtain social insurance, granting them access to health, retirement, and unemployment insurance, enhancing job security and financial stability.

Eligibility for Applying for a Work Permit in Turkey

Like many European countries, Turkey welcomes specialists and professionals to work within its borders. For example, IT experts, artificial intelligence specialists, web designers, doctors, nurses, and dentists are among the most in-demand professionals in Turkey.

The Turkish government offers work residency as a way for these professionals to contribute to Turkish companies and make use of their expertise. Currently, work residency priorities are as follows:

1. Specialists in health and medical fields (doctors, surgeons, nurses, dentists, and lab scientists)
2. Experts in information technology and web development (programming, web development, AI and robotics)
3. Oil and petrochemical industry experts (for work in free zones and repair and assembly jobs)
4. Professors and academics
5. Aerospace fields

Additionally, professionals with expertise in Turkey’s development priorities, such as medical tourism, can also apply for work residency.

Duration of Work Residence

For first-time applicants, the duration of the work residence is one year. For subsequent renewals, this period extends to two years.

Required Documents for Obtaining a Work Permit in Turkey

In previous sections, we discussed the process of obtaining the Çalışma İzin card in detail. After your work permit request is approved, you must enter Turkey within a maximum of 108 days to register your address, obtain the official work permit, and receive your residence card or Kimlik. Required documents include:

• Completed application form for the Turkey work visa
• Original employment offer letter from the company
• Employment contract between the applicant and employer
• Original and copy of the permit from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Turkey
• Original and copy of passport and identification documents
• Accredited educational qualifications
• Certificate of no criminal record
• Valid insurance within Turkey
• Biometric photo
• Rental agreement for housing in Turkey
• Payment of work visa fees

Steps to Obtain Çalışma İzin

The work permit application can be submitted in two ways:

1. Application from Outside the Country

A work contract is signed between the employer and the foreign applicant.

The foreign applicant submits their application to the Turkish embassy or consulate in their country of residence and receives a 16-digit reference number, which they should provide to their employer.

The employer or an authorized representative then registers the workplace on the “Automated Work Permit Application System” through e-Devlet using their electronic signature.

The electronic signature can be obtained from institutions authorized by the Information Technologies Authority (BTK).

By selecting “International Application” from the “Apply Now” menu, the employer completes and uploads the required reference number and information, then signs it electronically.

If approved, the work permit will be issued after payment of visa fees to the Turkish consulate where the initial application was submitted.

The issued work permit is sent to the foreign applicant’s workplace address via PTT (the Turkish postal service).

Within 30 days of the foreign applicant’s arrival in the country, the employer must file a start-of-work declaration with the Social Security Center where they registered.

The insurance premium amount must not be lower than the wage indicated in the work permit application for foreign workers.

Required documents for foreign applicants: employment contract, biometric photo, passport, and educational qualifications.

Required documents for the employer: tax registration certificate, official gazette, balance sheet, and activity certificate.

Upon completing these steps, the individual will be employed and can begin working. Their residence card will also be issued shortly.

2. Application from Inside Turkey

Foreigners holding a valid residence permit and employers wishing to employ such foreigners can apply for a work permit. The application steps are similar to those in the previous section, with the main difference being that this time, the issued work permit is sent directly to the individual.

Can You Obtain Turkish Citizenship with a Work Residence?

A frequently asked question is whether it is possible to obtain a Turkish passport through work residence. The answer is yes. If you have maintained residence in Turkey for five consecutive years, you can apply for citizenship. It does not matter whether this residence period includes only work residence or a combination of different valid Turkish residencies and work residence.