How to obtain a work permit in Turkey

Foreigners can obtain a (work permit) that gives them the right to work on Turkish territory, according to the labor law in force in Turkey, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security studies the market need for foreign labor in addition to the state’s general plan and then issues work permits to foreigners according to the demand of the labor market and companies. After obtaining a work permit, foreigners can obtain a work residency in Turkey, which is a permit that allows foreigners to work in Turkey officially and legally, and thus the ability to benefit from a set of advantages, namely:

  • Benefit from medical and treatment at the expense of the state in all state hospitals
  • Benefit from the retirement pension after the age of sixty
  • Obtaining Turkish citizenship after the fifth year of residence
  • Children get free education in Turkey
  • Take advantage of the facilities provided by the Turkish government to the owners of work permits

How is it obtained

A work permit can be obtained in Turkey according to one of the following two ways:

The first way: to establish a company and obtain a work permit as the owner or manager of the company, which is the best way to obtain residency, in addition to the numerous investments in Turkey, and it is worth mentioning the various advantages that you will obtain as a company owner in Turkey.

The Turkish government provides a set of facilities for company owners, including: the company owner does not have to appoint 5 Turkish employees in order to obtain residency during the first year of the company’s establishment and can obtain residency immediately after the establishment of the company, but a set of basic conditions must be met in the company, the most important of which is that The legally determined capital value shall be no less than 100 thousand Turkish liras, or the share of the residence applicant, whether partner or manager, shall not be less than 40 thousand Turkish liras.

This method provides you with a set of facilities and features, namely:

  • The owner of the company does not have to appoint 5 Turks in the first year of the company.
  •  It is possible to obtain a work permit on the savings after the establishment of the company.
  • You can obtain a work permit while you are outside Turkish territory.
  • Ease of including your children, wife and mother in your residence that you will get so that they get the same benefit

The second way: to be an employee in a Turkish company and thus the company can extract your work permit, as companies must ensure that the work permit for their foreign employees is issued in accordance with Turkish law, and the employee may not apply for a work permit himself, and the conditions are required to be met next:

  • The company must pay all its taxes and social insurances with the state.
  • The owner of the company, after appointing the Turkish employees, adjusting the capital and extracting the required papers, will apply for a work residence in Turkey for you, and the result will appear within a period ranging from approximately 30-45 days from the date of submission and then obtained the residence permit or the so-called work permit.

The work permit can be obtained inside or outside the Turkish borders

Obtaining a work permit from within the Turkish territory: If you are within the Turkish territory and have applied for a work residence permit, you must first have a tourist residence, and then the tourist residence is converted into a work residence.

Obtaining a work permit from outside Turkish territory: Turkish law allows company owners to obtain a work permit in Turkey by going to one of the Turkish embassies in the country in which they are currently residing and submitting your company’s papers and then requesting a work permit, and then obtaining a work permit Work residence and company work code.