Work Permit in Turkey

Required Document for Work Permit in Turkey

from Employer

1. Work permit application letter (The letter must be scanned and submitted as part of the online application; it must also be submitted in hardcopy, signed by the employer)
2. Foreign worker application form (The form filled online must be printed, and a hardcopy signed by the employer and the foreigner must be submitted to the ministry. If the signed form is unavailable, the employment agreement executed by and between the parties must be submitted. The application will not be processed in the absence of a signed form or a labor contract)
3. The Trade Registry Gazette of Turkey (periodically issued by the chamber of commerce), detailing the current shareholding and capital structure of the entity (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application)
4. A balance sheet and a profit/loss statement for the most recent year, certified by the tax office or certified public accountant (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application)
5. Notarized power of attorney for the person authorized to file the online application as a user on behalf of the entity or organization to employ the foreigner, or a document attesting to the employment of the user at the applicant entity or organization (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application)

from Foreign Worker (the Applicant)

1. In the case of applications filed in Turkey, a copy of the residence permit issued for other than education purposes with a term of at least 6 months remaining as of the date of application (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application)
2. If a foreigner who files a work permit application does not hold a valid residence permit, the foreigner is required to apply for a Short-Term Residence Permit within 10 days following the date of entry to Turkey
3. A photocopy of the passport (or travel document): only the pages containing the applicant’s information + serial number of the passport (or travel document) + dates of issuing and expiry + visa and entry stamp (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application)
4. Tax Number, you may get one for free at any tax office
5. 4 colored personal photographs against white backdrop, not older than 6 months
6. Sworn translation or an official certified translation of the diploma or provisional graduation certificate (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application, as well as submitted in hardcopy)
7. The employer will inform you of any additional document that might be required at the time

How to Obtain a Work Permit

Only the employer can make the work permit application and submit it to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. The foreign worker must already be residing in Turkey legally, and in case the foreign worker is not living in turkey, he/she must apply for a legal Short-Term permit within 10 working days following their entry to Turkey.

Work Permit allows you to work only for one employer as per your employment contract and in one occupation, moving on to working with another employer will require a new application for a new Work Permit that will automatically cancel the previous one you have.

An employer has the ability to request cancelation of your work permit in case:

1. You have resigned
2. You have been terminated
3. You have violated your employment contract
4. You did not commence your work within 30 days following the issuance date of the work permit

The first work permit is valid for one year only, upon the first extension it will be valid for two more years, and for 3 more years by the second extension.

Required Document for Work Permit in Turkey

from Employer

1. Work permit extension application letter (The letter must be scanned and submitted as part of the online application; it must also be submitted in hardcopy, signed by the employer)
2. Foreign worker application form (The form filled out online must be printed, and a hardcopy signed by the employer and the foreigner must be submitted to the ministry. The labor contract executed by and between the parties must be submitted where the signed form is unavailable. The application cannot be processed in the absence of a signed form or labor contract.)
3. The Trade Registry Gazette of Turkey detailing the current shareholding and capital structure of the entity, if modified since the initial submission (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application).
4. Document attesting that the employer has no outstanding tax obligations (This information must be accessed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security through the records of the Ministry of Finance).
5. The Social Security Institution registration number of the insured foreigner named in the application form, and information regarding whether or not the employer has fulfilled its social security obligations regarding the foreigner (This information must be accessed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security through the records of the Social Security Institution).
6. Notarized power of attorney for the person authorized to file the online application as a user on behalf of the entity or organization to employ the foreigner, or a document attesting the employment of the user at the applicant entity or organization (The document must be scanned and submitted during the online application).

Introduction steps

Notes on Extension

1. Applications for Work Permit extension must be submitted by the foreigner or the employer directly to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, by submitting the original copy of the previous work permit, along with the application form and the documents specified in the appendix of the implementation regulation
2. The work permit extension applications must be first submitted online. In order for the work permit extension applications filed online and pre-approved by the system to be valid, the application form print-out with barcode, generated online, must be signed by the foreigner and the employer, and submitted, along with the other documents specified in the appendix to the regulation, to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security within a maximum of six business days following the pre-approval of the online application, either in person or via mail
3. Extension applications should be filed at most two months in advance of the expiration date of the permit. Extension applications filed within a maximum of fifteen days following the expiration of the work permit will also be processed. The extension applications filed thereafter are subject to the principles applicable to foreigners who file an application for the first time. In the case of work permit extension applications filed with a valid residence permit (as with first-time applications filed while in Turkey), the required documents must be submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security within six business days following the online application
4. Following the issuance of the first work permit (valid for one year only), extension for a 2-year period can be filed at the first extension while adhering to continue working for the same employer at the same occupation, this 3-year term is the complete legal duration of the work permit. Afterward, the foreign worker can apply for a second extension that if approved will be for a term of 3 more years, and allowing the worker to work for any other employee at the same occupation.
5. Foreigners who have resided in Turkey for at least eight uninterrupted years on a legal basis, or foreigners who have a total of eight years of employment with a work permit, may file applications for indefinite work permits. Also, foreigners who have lived in Turkey for at least 5 years continuously, are entitled to apply for the Turkish citizenship