Foreign nationals who want to work in Turkey generally need a valid work permit before starting employment. For the employer, however, obtaining a work permit involves more than submitting an application. Depending on the circumstances, the Turkish employer may need to meet specific employment, financial and salary criteria, while different rules may apply to company shareholders, certain professions and foreigners who qualify for exemptions.
The work permit framework has also changed in recent years. The current general evaluation criteria were introduced in October 2024, certain financial thresholds became effective in January 2025, and additional exceptions and sector-specific rules entered into force in 2026.
This guide explains the Turkish work permit system from both the foreign employee’s and employer’s perspective, including eligibility requirements, the five-Turkish-employee rule, salary thresholds, application procedures, foreign shareholder rules, renewals and post-approval compliance.
Who Needs a Work Permit in Turkey?
As a general rule, a foreign national must obtain a valid work permit before starting work in Turkey. Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force prohibits foreigners covered by the law from working, or being employed, without a work permit unless a specific statutory or treaty-based exception applies.
A Turkish work permit serves two functions. During its validity period, it gives the foreign national both the right to work and the right to reside in Turkey. A residence permit, on the other hand, does not generally provide a right to work.
This distinction is particularly relevant for foreign entrepreneurs and shareholders. Establishing a company in Turkey or acquiring shares in an existing Turkish company does not automatically give a foreign national the right to actively work for that company. The individual’s position in the company and the nature of the activities performed must also be considered.
Turkish legislation does provide specific work permit exemptions for certain activities and categories of foreigners. These are separate from the ordinary work permit process and are subject to their own conditions and time limits.
Types of Work Permits in Turkey
For most foreign employees hired by a Turkish employer, the relevant authorization is a fixed-term work permit.
On the first application, a fixed-term work permit can be issued for up to one year, provided that the permit does not exceed the duration of the employment or service agreement. If the employee continues working for the same employer, the first extension may be issued for up to two years, and subsequent extensions for up to three years at a time. An application to work for a different employer is treated as a new application rather than an extension.
A permanent work permit may be applied for by a foreign national who either holds a long-term residence permit in Turkey or has at least eight years of legal work permit history. Satisfying one of these conditions creates eligibility to apply; it does not create an automatic right to receive a permanent permit.
An independent work permit allows an eligible foreign national to work in their own name and on their own account without being tied to an employer. Factors such as education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, investment and employment impact may be considered during the assessment.
Turkey also operates the Turquoise Card system for highly qualified foreigners whose professional background, expertise, investment or potential contribution is considered significant. Turquoise Card holders benefit from rights associated with a permanent work permit, subject to the specific rules governing the card.
For ordinary foreign hires, however, the employer-sponsored fixed-term work permit remains the most relevant route.
General Requirements for a Work Permit in Turkey
A common misconception is that the work permit assessment concerns only the foreign employee’s qualifications. In reality, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security also evaluates the Turkish employer.
Under the current general criteria, three issues are particularly important:
- the number of Turkish citizens employed at the workplace;
- the employer’s financial eligibility; and
- the salary offered to the foreign employee.
These are general rules rather than universal requirements. Depending on the foreign national, employer, profession or sector, some or all of these criteria may not apply.
The Five Turkish Employees Rule
For workplaces subject to the balance-sheet accounting method, the general rule is that at least five Turkish citizens must be employed for each foreign national for whom a work permit is requested.
This is commonly referred to as the 5:1 employment criterion.
There is an important exception for businesses with significant turnover. Where the employer’s net sales in the previous year are at least TRY 50 million, the employment criterion is not applied to work permit applications for up to five foreign employees.
The five-employee rule should therefore not be applied mechanically. Before determining whether a company can sponsor a foreign employee, it is necessary to check whether the employer or employee falls within one of the general or sector-specific exceptions.
Financial Eligibility Requirements for Employers
The financial eligibility test depends partly on whether the employer is newly established or already has completed annual financial statements.
For a newly established business subject to the balance-sheet method — meaning a business established during the current year that has not yet prepared a year-end balance sheet and annual income statement — the paid-in capital must generally be at least TRY 500,000.
An existing business can satisfy the financial eligibility requirement by meeting any one of the following thresholds:
| Financial criterion | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| Paid-in capital | TRY 500,000 |
| Net sales | TRY 8,000,000 |
| Exports | USD 150,000 |
In other words, an existing employer does not have to satisfy all three thresholds. Paid-in capital of TRY 500,000, net sales of TRY 8 million or exports of USD 150,000 can independently satisfy the general financial criterion.
Separate rules apply to ordinary partnerships established by businesses subject to the balance-sheet method. In such cases, at least one of the partners must meet the relevant capital, net sales or export threshold.
Minimum Salary Requirements for Foreign Employees
The salary declared in a Turkish work permit application cannot always be freely determined by the employer and employee.
The minimum permitted salary depends on the foreign national’s position and is calculated by reference to the gross minimum wage in effect on the application date.
Under the current evaluation criteria:
| Position | Minimum salary |
|---|---|
| Senior executives and pilots | 5 × gross minimum wage |
| Engineers and architects | 4 × gross minimum wage |
| Other managers | 3 × gross minimum wage |
| Positions requiring expertise or craftsmanship | 2 × gross minimum wage |
| Domestic services and other positions | Gross minimum wage |
For 2026, the monthly gross minimum wage is TRY 33,030. This results in minimum gross monthly salaries of TRY 165,150 for senior executives and pilots, TRY 132,120 for engineers and architects, TRY 99,090 for other managers, TRY 66,060 for positions requiring expertise or craftsmanship and TRY 33,030 for other positions.
The relevant multiplier is determined by the nature of the position. The employer should therefore consider the actual role and professional qualifications when structuring the employment contract and work permit application. The Ministry’s current evaluation criteria expressly tie these salary thresholds to the gross minimum wage in force on the application date.
The salary declared during the application also has consequences after approval. The implementing regulation requires social security obligations to be fulfilled on the basis of the salary and working period declared in the work permit application.
A New 2026 Exception for Foreigners Already in Turkey
An important change entered into force on 3 August 2026 for certain foreigners who already have a history of legal stay in Turkey.
If, during the three years preceding the work permit application, the foreign national has legally remained in Turkey for at least one year under a work permit, residence permit or international protection status, an in-country work permit application may be assessed without applying the standard employment and financial eligibility criteria.
The exception is limited to a maximum of three qualifying foreign nationals at the same workplace. In addition, the number of foreign employees benefiting from this rule cannot exceed the number of Turkish citizens employed at that workplace.
For example, suppose a Turkish company has two Turkish employees and wants to employ two foreign nationals who each satisfy the required legal-stay condition. Subject to the other requirements, those two applications may potentially be assessed without applying the normal 5:1 employment requirement or the employer’s financial eligibility test.
The scope of the exception is important. It applies to employment and financial eligibility criteria. It does not remove the applicable salary requirement or other conditions of the work permit application.
It is also specifically an in-country application rule. Having previously spent one year legally in Turkey does not, by itself, allow a foreign national who is otherwise required to apply from abroad to use this exception.
Where more than three qualifying foreign nationals are employed at the same workplace, the fourth and subsequent foreign employees are again subject to the applicable financial criterion and the requirement to employ five Turkish citizens for each foreign employee.
Foreigners Exempt from the Standard Evaluation Criteria
A separate set of rules provides broader relief for certain categories of foreigners.
For these individuals, the Ministry’s current criteria provide that the employment, financial eligibility and salary criteria are not applied when assessing their work permit applications.
The categories include foreigners:
- whose mother, father or child is a Turkish citizen;
- who hold a humanitarian residence permit;
- who qualify under the specified rules concerning victims of human trafficking;
- who hold a Stateless Person Identity Document;
- who hold a long-term residence permit;
- who have lived in a marital union with a Turkish citizen for at least three years;
- who satisfy the specified eight-year legal stay condition in Turkey;
- who qualify as persons of Turkish origin under the applicable rules; or
- who are citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The eight-year category was updated with effect from 3 August 2026 and covers qualifying periods spent in Turkey under the residence and work statuses specifically listed in the Ministry’s criteria.
These rules must not be confused with a work permit exemption.
A foreign national who is exempt from the standard evaluation criteria may still need to obtain a work permit. The exemption simply means that the employment, financial eligibility and salary tests are not applied to that particular application.
The Ministry also expressly states that qualifying for one of these exemptions does not create an automatic right to a work permit. The applicant must be able to document the relevant status, and the application remains subject to the other applicable requirements.
Special Rules for Certain Sectors and Professions
The general criteria are not the end of the analysis. Turkey has separate rules for particular sectors and professions.
The IT sector provides a useful example. For businesses operating in IT, work permit applications for qualifying specialist roles such as software development, database, mobile software, network and security, and enterprise architecture are assessed without applying the general employment and financial eligibility criteria.
Even a company that does not itself operate in the IT sector may benefit from similar treatment for up to two foreigners employed in qualifying specialist IT roles.
Special rules also exist for education, aviation, advanced technology and R&D activities, public projects, tourism and several other sectors. Some professional activities additionally require prior authorization from another competent public authority. For example, certain education positions require prior approval from the Ministry of National Education or the Council of Higher Education.
Further sector-specific changes entered into force in 2026, including provisions concerning manufacturing, poultry farming and recycling. These rules can materially change how the employment and financial criteria are applied.
For that reason, a company that appears not to satisfy the general criteria should check the rules applicable to its specific sector and the proposed position before concluding that the employee is not eligible for a Turkish work permit.
Work Permit for Foreign Company Shareholders in Turkey
Foreign investors sometimes assume that incorporating a Turkish company or acquiring shares in one automatically allows them to work for the business. Company ownership and work authorization are separate issues.
For a foreign national who establishes a new business or becomes a shareholder in a company subject to the balance-sheet method, the general shareholder criteria require the company to have at least TRY 500,000 in paid-in capital.
In addition:
- the foreign shareholder’s own capital contribution must be at least TRY 500,000; and
- the foreign shareholder must own at least 20% of the company.
The employment requirement is applied differently in this situation. The first work permit can be issued conditionally without requiring five Turkish employees immediately. However, from the beginning of the seventh month of the first work permit period, the company must employ at least five Turkish citizens each month.
There is an important exception for larger investments. If the foreign shareholder’s capital contribution is USD 100,000 or more, the capital, minimum shareholding and five-Turkish-employee criteria described above are not applied.
The foreign national’s role within the company must also be considered. Law No. 6735 specifically addresses, among others, a foreign shareholder who acts as a manager of a limited liability company and a foreign shareholder serving as a board member of a joint-stock company.
The practical point is simple: company formation and work permit planning should be considered together when the foreign investor intends to actively manage or work for the Turkish company.
Applying for a Work Permit from Within Turkey
A work permit application may be submitted from within Turkey where the foreign national meets the requirements for an in-country application.
As a general rule, a foreign national in Turkey who holds a valid residence permit issued for at least six months may use the domestic application route, subject to the applicable exceptions and special categories. The application and supporting documents are submitted electronically through the Ministry’s e-İzin system.
Typical documentation includes the employment contract signed by the employer and foreign employee, passport documentation and the relevant employer information. Additional documents may be required depending on the employee’s profession, the employer and the circumstances of the application.
A residence permit should not be confused with permission to work. It may allow an eligible foreign national to make an in-country application, but it does not itself authorize employment.
Applying for a Work Permit from Abroad
Where the domestic application route is not available, the process generally starts through a Turkish embassy or consulate in the foreign national’s country of citizenship or legal residence.
The foreign employee first makes the relevant application through the Turkish foreign mission. The employer then completes the corresponding work permit application electronically in Turkey using the reference information generated through the consular process.
The employee-side and employer-side stages therefore form parts of the same process. Completing the consular stage alone is not sufficient.
The Ministry publishes separate step-by-step guides for domestic and overseas work permit applications through the e-İzin system.
How Long Does a Work Permit Application Take in Turkey?
Under Law No. 6735, a duly submitted application is to be evaluated within 30 days, provided that the required information and documents are complete.
This does not necessarily mean that every work permit will be completed exactly 30 days after the process begins.
If information or documents are missing, the Ministry can postpone its assessment until the deficiencies have been completed. The practical timeline may also be affected by the overseas consular stage where the application originates abroad.
For employers planning an employee’s start date or relocation, the 30-day statutory evaluation period should therefore not be treated as a guaranteed end-to-end processing time.
What Happens After a Work Permit Is Approved?
Obtaining the permit is only one part of the employer’s compliance obligations.
The foreign employee must be employed in accordance with the conditions underlying the work permit, and the employer must comply with the applicable payroll and social security requirements. In particular, the salary and working conditions reported after approval should remain consistent with the work permit application.
For a permit granted following an overseas application, Law No. 6735 also requires the foreign national to enter Turkey within six months from the beginning of the work permit’s validity. Failure to do so is a ground for cancellation of the permit.
Employers and relevant foreign permit holders also have notification obligations when employment starts or ends and where circumstances arise that may require cancellation of the work permit.
Work permit compliance should therefore be coordinated with payroll and social security administration rather than treated as a one-off immigration filing.
Work Permit Renewal in Turkey
A work permit extension application can be submitted from 60 days before the existing permit expires and, in all cases, before the expiry date.
The 60-day period is the opening of the renewal window; it does not mean that the application must be made exactly 60 days before expiration.
If the foreign employee remains with the same employer, the first successful extension can be granted for up to two years, with subsequent extensions of up to three years. A change of employer is treated as a new work permit application.
The implementing regulation also allows a foreign national whose extension application has been duly submitted to continue working under the applicable conditions for up to 90 days while the application is pending.
Why Can a Turkish Work Permit Application Be Rejected?
Meeting the numerical criteria does not guarantee approval.
Law No. 6735 provides several grounds on which an application may be rejected. These include failure to meet the Ministry’s evaluation criteria, insufficient justification for employing the foreign national, lack of the qualifications or expertise required for the proposed position, an application concerning a profession reserved for Turkish citizens, and the submission of false or misleading information.
An application may also be rejected where required information is not completed within the permitted period or where public order, public security or public health considerations prevent the foreign national from working in Turkey.
This is why the eligibility assessment should ideally take place before the employee begins the consular process or the employer submits the electronic application.
Can a Rejected Work Permit Application Be Appealed?
A rejection does not necessarily end the process.
Under Law No. 6735, an interested party can object to the Ministry against a rejection or cancellation decision within 30 days from notification. If the administrative objection is rejected, the decision may subsequently be challenged before the administrative courts.
Whether an appeal is the appropriate route depends on why the application was rejected. Where the underlying problem can be corrected, a new application may sometimes be more practical than challenging the original decision.
Work Permit Fees in Turkey in 2026
Work permit applications are subject to an official permit fee and a valuable paper fee.
For 2026, the Ministry lists the official fee for a fixed-term work permit valid for up to one year as TRY 12,574.90. The 2026 valuable paper fee is TRY 964.
The applicable work permit fee changes according to the type and duration of the permit. Once the Ministry approves an application, the required fee and valuable paper amount must be paid separately. The Ministry states that failure to make the required payments within 30 days following notification results in rejection of the application.
Because these amounts are updated periodically, employers should check the current official fee schedule when the application is approved rather than relying on figures from previous years.
Work Permit Compliance Is Also an Employer Responsibility
A Turkish work permit should not be viewed purely as an immigration document belonging to the foreign employee.
The employer’s Turkish headcount, financial position, capital, payroll reporting and the actual position performed by the employee can all affect the application and subsequent compliance.
This is especially important for newly established Turkish subsidiaries. A company may have been successfully incorporated but still not satisfy the criteria to sponsor a particular foreign employee. Conversely, a company that appears to fail the standard 5:1 employment test may qualify for an individual or sector-specific exception.
In practice, the analysis usually starts with three questions:
Who is the foreign national? What position will the person perform? What is the status of the proposed Turkish employer?
Once those questions are answered, it becomes much easier to determine the appropriate application route, applicable evaluation criteria and any available exemptions.
How Metropol Consulting Can Assist with Work Permits in Turkey
Metropol Consulting supports foreign companies and professionals with the Turkish work permit process from the initial eligibility assessment through to post-approval employment compliance.
Our support can include assessing the employer and employee against the applicable work permit criteria, identifying available exemptions, reviewing salary and employment requirements, preparing application documentation, managing domestic and overseas applications, supporting renewals, and coordinating the related payroll and social security requirements.
For foreign companies that have not yet established a Turkish entity, we can also assess the immigration implications together with the appropriate company formation or Employer of Record (EOR) structure. This can be particularly useful where a company wants to hire or relocate an employee before establishing its own local operation.
If you are planning to hire a foreign national in Turkey, an eligibility assessment of both the employee and the proposed employer should generally be completed before the application process begins.
If you need support with the application process, you can also review our work and residence permit services in Turkey.
Official Sources and Legal References
This guide is based primarily on:
- Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force (Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu), published in Official Gazette No. 29800 dated 13 August 2016.
- Regulation on the Implementation of the International Labour Force Law (Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu Uygulama Yönetmeliği).
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security – Directorate General of International Labour Force: Work Permit Evaluation Criteria, including the amendments effective from 3 August 2026.
- Directorate General of International Labour Force: Work Permit Types and Application Guidance.
- Directorate General of International Labour Force: 2026 Work Permit Fees and Valuable Paper Fees.
This guide provides general information on Turkish work permit rules and does not constitute legal advice. Work permit requirements may vary depending on the foreign national, employer, profession, sector and application type.