Frequently asked questions

An official document issued by the Ministry that gives a foreigner the right to both work and reside in Türkiye for its validity period. Everyone covered by the law must hold either a work permit or an exemption before starting work.

As a rule yes — a permit or exemption also counts as a residence permit. The exception is permits issued to international protection applicants, conditional refugees and people under temporary protection; for them it does not replace residence.

No. Except for refugees and holders of subsidiary protection, a residence permit obtained for any reason gives no right to work. You need a separate permit first.

Blue Card holders, refugees and people with subsidiary protection status, members of diplomatic missions, and groups exempted under treaties Türkiye is party to.

No. Those who were Turkish citizens by birth and left citizenship with permission, along with descendants to the third degree, may work without a permit if they hold a Blue Card or can prove registration. No permit document is issued; on request they receive a fee-free letter confirming they may work.

Foreigners applying for or engaged in work, vocational training or an internship in Türkiye, cross-border service providers here temporarily, and the individuals and companies employing or seeking to employ foreigners.

Administrative fines fall on both the foreigner and the employer, and the foreigner is reported to the Ministry of Interior for deportation. The risk runs both ways — your employer is fined too.

Some are reserved by law for Turkish citizens: law, notary services, judgeship and prosecution, mediation, expert witness work, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing aide work, certified accountancy, customs brokerage assistance, tourist guiding, travel agency management, private security work and management, neighbourhood watch, cooperative board membership, responsible management in private hospitals, and maritime roles under the cabotage rules. The list is longer; we check your profession before opening a file.

Yes, there is no obstacle to union membership for foreigners working on a permit.

A permit tied to one employer and workplace, not exceeding the term of the employment contract. The first application grants up to one year.

Foreigners holding a long-term residence permit or at least eight years of legal work permits. It is not tied to an employer. Meeting the conditions does not create an absolute right; the document is renewed every five years, with renewal filed in the six months before expiry.

A permit allowing a foreigner to work on their own account, without an employer. It is assessed on education, professional experience, the contribution of the activity or investment to the economy and employment, and share capital where the person is a company partner. It is issued for a fixed term.

With the same employer, up to two years on the first extension and up to three years on later ones.

Yes. A work permit is issued sixty days shorter than the validity of your passport or equivalent document. A short passport means a short permit.

Only through the e-İzin system, either from inside or outside Türkiye. There is no other channel — no consultancy can receive the application through its own website.

For foreigners holding a residence permit issued for at least six months and valid on the application date, the employer applies via e-Devlet at calismaizni.gov.tr. Certain groups designated by the Directorate General may apply without a residence permit.

In two stages. The foreigner applies in person at a Turkish embassy or consulate in their country and receives a 16-digit reference number. They pass it to their employer in Türkiye, who completes the application via e-Devlet.

Thirty days when the file is complete. The clock starts when the application is completed in the system, or when requested additional documents are uploaded.

On the Ministry's assessment criteria and international labour force policy. Where needed, opinions are sought from relevant public bodies and professional chambers.

The decision, positive or negative, goes to the email address given in the application. For applications from abroad the mission is notified too. You can also see the result in the e-İzin system.

In the e-İzin system, under Application Procedures, in the Completed Applications and Applications Under Assessment tabs.

Yes. Refusal, cancellation and termination decisions can be appealed through the system within thirty days of notification, with a reasoned petition and documents uploaded. If the appeal fails, administrative court is open.

Yes. Once the deficiency behind the refusal is fixed, nothing prevents a fresh application.

Not by law — the Ministry publishes full guides and ALO 170 answers questions. Consultancy earns its cost when you don't want to run the process yourself or the file is complex, by saving time and reducing refusal risk. Decide knowingly.

Yes. Under the Fees Law, permits and exemption documents carry a fee, plus a valuable paper charge per document. Exemption applications shorter than three months carry no fee. Turquoise Card holders pay no fee, only the valuable paper charge.

Through the Digital Tax Office, on the Payment by Reference Number screen, selecting the Directorate General of International Labour Force and entering the foreigner ID number and the transaction number emailed to you. Contracted banks also accept payment; the fee and the valuable paper charge go on separate receipts, in full.

The process cannot be completed. The amount has to match exactly.

Yes. For applications from abroad, the application is refused if the fee and valuable paper charge are not paid within thirty days of notification.

For in-country applications, within one month of the permit's start date. For applications from abroad, within one month of entering the country and in any case within six months of the permit's start. Social security obligations must follow the salary and full-time terms declared in the application.

The foreigner goes to the mission where they applied and pays the work permit, residence permit and visa fees. Once the visa sticker is placed in the passport they may enter Türkiye. Registration with the address system is required within twenty days of entry.

After printing, by PTT courier to the employer's address. You can follow the delivery through SMS notifications to the registered mobile number or the Card Tracking tab in e-İzin.

Request a reprint through New Card Request under Post-Permit Procedures in e-İzin. If approved, you are emailed a request to pay the valuable paper charge plus half the permit fee; once paid, the new document is sent to the workplace address.

From sixty days before expiry, and in any case before the permit runs out, through the system. Once the date passes, no extension is possible.

Yes. You may keep working after expiry while the application is assessed, for no more than ninety days and only if the job and workplace stay the same. That period counts as legal employment and your rights continue unchanged.

Not on the same permit. It is issued for a specific job, workplace and address; a new employer means a new application. Moving to a different role with the same employer, or another branch in the same line of business, depends on meeting the conditions.

The employer must complete termination through Permit Termination Request under Post-Permit Procedures in e-İzin, signed electronically.

Employers, and foreigners holding employer-independent permits, must notify the Ministry within fifteen days when work begins or ends and whenever something arises that would void the permit.

The relevant social security legislation applies to permit holders in the same way as to anyone else.

Yes. Applications can be made for elderly, disabled or child care and for patient companionship.

Yes. If the person needing care is elderly or disabled, or unable to apply, a first-degree relative may be the employer. The workplace record opens with that person's details and e-signature; the care address is entered as the work address, and proof of the relationship plus the cared-for person's ID copy go into the file.

Yes. A preliminary approval from the Ministry of Health comes first, then the work permit application. Graduates of foreign institutions must submit a diploma equivalence certificate.

A partner-manager of a limited company, a partner board member of a joint-stock company and the managing active partner of a partnership limited by shares all work on a permit. Non-resident board members of joint-stock companies and partners without a management role fall under exemption.

Yes, and they must hold a permit before working. The application can be made six months after the protection application. Where residence in a specific province is required, applications outside it are decided after consulting the Ministry of Interior.

For businesses meeting the criteria for foreign direct investments of special significance, the five-Turkish-citizen requirement is not sought for the first foreigner in a key personnel role.

The workplace's SGK e-Bildirge user. Once open, others can be authorised to apply on the workplace's behalf through Authorisation Procedures in the Employer Management Panel, by entering their Turkish ID number.

There is no limit.

If you are the principal employer, enter 000 as the final three digits. Where subcontracting is involved, get the correct number from your Provincial Social Security Directorate.

Yes. Each document must be PDF and no larger than 2 MB.

JPEG, PNG, GIF or JPG; taken within the last six months, colour, front-facing, face uncovered, white background — biometric standard.

Type at least three letters and every matching title is listed. Pick the one that matches the employment contract.

First check for a green tick beside each tab; a missing tick means something is incomplete there. If all tabs are complete, the e-signature window isn't opening: allow pop-ups in your browser settings. The system runs most smoothly in Google Chrome.

One where the details are filled in but it has not been signed electronically. An application is only complete once e-signed; unsigned ones wait in the Incomplete Applications section.

No. Everything is online; no paper is sent for an e-signed application.

Prepare it as a PDF, go to Applications Under Assessment under Application Tracking Procedures, open the transaction menu for that application, upload the file and complete the step with your electronic signature.