Employment in Turkey
General Terms of Work Permit and Employment in Turkey
Due to Turkey’s proximity to Middle East and Europe and the relatively good economic conditions of Turkey, a large number of people from neighborhood countries intend to work and find employment in Turkey. Ease of travel to Turkey, cultural proximity, mild climate, etc. make neighboring countries people eager to work and live in Turkey. In this regard, we decided to explain conditions of employement in Turkey and also types of work permit in Turkey. So that we could answer some of the questions that have arisen in the minds of our dear compatriots.
In general, the working conditions, including job variety, income and salary, job stability, etc., are much better in Turkey than in neighboring countries. You should keep in mind that finding the right job depends on the ability, skill and expertise of the job seeker. Also, the level of education, proficiency in Turkish or English are other important issues. Also, the job applicant’s information about the laws in Turkey can help a lot in finding a suitable job.
Law No. 4817 of work in Turkey regarding the work permit for foreigners in Turkey has been approved since September 2003. Based on this, foreign nationals must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Turkey independently. A prerequisite for obtaining a work permit is to have a residence permit for at least six months. There are three types of employment in Turkey according to the work permit law:
- Work permit in Turkey for a specific period
- Work permit in Turkey for an unidentified period
- Freelance work permit in Turkey
Work permit for a certain period;
As a foreigner, you can apply for a “work permit in Turkey for a limited period” in a specific position in a workplace or economic organization for a maximum of one year. The Ministry of Labor will consider the following to decide on your request:
- The state of the labor market
- Changes in the economic sector or general changes in the economy or development in the existing workforce
- The duration of the residence permit and the duration of the service contract or the type of work
Work permit for an unspecified period;
As a foreigner, if you have lived in Turkey for at least eight years legally and without interruption, or if you have worked legally for at least six years, you can apply for a “permit to work and work in Turkey for an indefinite period”.
Freelance work permit in Turkey;
“Freelance Work Permit in Turkey” is given to you for the purpose of working independently. This work permit in Turkey is given to you if you live legally in Turkey for at least five years without interruption. During this period, you have worked in this country for at least three years without interruption.
First of all, it is better to check the future ways to work in Turkey. In general, there are 3 solutions for foreigners, which include: – Legal employment – Employment through company registration and entrepreneurship – Illegal employment
Types of employment in Turkey
Legal employment in Turkey:
The process of finding a job for foreigners in Turkey is the same as in many countries around the world. The type of work permit and working conditions in Turkey depends on the qualification of the job seeker. A job seeker refers to different companies according to her/his expertise and level of mastery in English or Turkish. Having a good C.V. will increase the chances of being accepted into the company. After your resume is noticed by the employer, you will be invited for an interview. During the interview, issues such as your level of expertise and language proficiency can have a good impact on the acceptance of your application.
In case of acceptance, the employer company will enter into a contract with you that includes all the conditions related to your work. If you have a valid residence (for at least 6 months), you and the employer must submit your request in writing to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs will respond to you within ninety days.
Summary of documents required to obtain a work permit
- Residence card with minimum remaining validity of 6 months and passport
- One piece photo
- Identification code of the Republic of Turkey issued by the Turkish Security Department for foreign nationals
- Job application form + job request from the employer
- Documents confirming the authenticity of the work application
- Electronic application form (like the photo)
- Providing the correct documents of the company that approved your job request
- Employer email for correspondence
- The employer’s government password
Your case will be reviewed in the framework of “work permit for a specified period” in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Turkey, which will take approximately 3 months.
How is a job application rejected?
According to Law No. 4817 on employment in Turkey, your job application will be rejected under the following conditions:
- Changes in the labor market situation as well as changes in the economic situation.
- If a Turkish citizen with the same skills as you are found within 4 weeks after applying for a work permit.
- Do not have a residence permit with a minimum validity of 6 months.
- If the work permit application has been rejected once, you must wait at least one year for a new application. Otherwise, your request will be rejected again.
- Your employment may endanger Turkey’s national security, public order, general security, public interest, morality and public health.
Employment through investment and company registration:
Similar to other countries, the Turkish government welcomes investors and employers. The company establishment process in Turkey is very simple and one of the fastest in Europe. If the documents are complete, the applicant can establish the company and start its activity within a few days.
If the documents are complete, the applicant can establish the company and start its activity within a few days. These documents must be in Turkish. In the old law, after submitting the documents, at least 25% of the defined capital of the company had to be deposited in the company’s bank account. In the framework of the new laws, in order to facilitate the process of establishing the company, there is no need to make a deposit in the company’s account. According to this law, the applicant company will have one year to deposit the amount of capital defined in the company’s statutes in its account. After the mentioned steps, the Turkish commercial register issues the company registration certificate and it is subsequently published in the Turkish newspaper. At the same time, the company must be registered with the relevant regional tax office.
Illegal employment in Turkey :
If the job applicant fails to receive a letter from the employer to submit to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and as a result does not receive an official work permit, the work is considered illegal. In this case, due to the lack of contract and work permit, many rights may be violated easily. In this case, the worst conditions and employment in Turkey will be applied to the job applicant
