Work Permit in Turkey 2026: Requirements, Fees and How to Apply

To work in Türkiye, foreign nationals must as a rule obtain a work permit (çalışma izni) from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. For foreigners in Türkiye who hold a valid residence permit of at least six months, the application is made online by the employer from within Türkiye; for those without a residence permit, it is made through a work visa application at the Turkish consulate in their country. On a first application, a work permit is granted for up to one year. In 2026, the fee for a one-year work permit is TRY 12,574.90, and the administrative fine for an employer who employs a foreigner without a permit is TRY 102,503 for each foreigner.

In this article I explain the types of work permit, the Ministry’s current assessment criteria, the application and extension process, work permit exemptions, the fees, objections to a rejection and the sanctions for working without a permit, in the light of the International Labour Force Law No. 6735 and the Ministry’s current rules.

What Is a Work Permit and Who Needs One?

A work permit is the permission that allows a foreigner to work in Türkiye as an employee or independently, and it is governed by the International Labour Force Law No. 6735 (Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu). Foreigners who will work for an employer in Türkiye, work for themselves or act as a managing partner in a company must obtain a work permit, except in the cases listed in the law.

Two rules are often confused:

• A residence permit does not give the right to work. Except for refugee and subsidiary protection status, holding a residence permit does not entitle a foreigner to work (Law No. 6735, Art. 12/1).
• A work permit replaces a residence permit. A work permit or work permit exemption does not require a separate residence permit (Law No. 6735, Art. 12/1). For residence permit procedures, see the residence permits page.

Types of Work Permit in Türkiye

• Fixed-term work permit: Granted for up to one year on a first application, on condition of working in a specific job at a specific workplace. For extensions with the same employer, up to two years are granted on the first extension and up to three years on later ones. An application to work for a different employer is assessed like a first application (Art. 10/1-2).
• Indefinite work permit: Foreigners with a long-term residence permit or at least eight years of legal work permit can apply. Meeting the conditions does not create an absolute right. Holders benefit largely from the rights granted to Turkish citizens, except voting, standing for election, entering public service and military service (Art. 10/3-4).
• Independent work permit: May be granted to foreign professionals who will work on their own account, provided the special conditions in other laws are met (Art. 10/6).
• Company partners in management: Foreigners who are a partner-manager of a limited company, a partner-board member of a joint stock company, or a managing general partner of a partnership limited by shares can also work with a work permit (Art. 10/5).
• Turquoise Card (Turkuaz Kart): Granted to foreigners found suitable in terms of education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, or the effect of their investment on the economy. The first three years are a transition period; at the end of it, an indefinite Turquoise Card is issued on application (Art. 11).

Work Permit Requirements: The Ministry’s Assessment Criteria

Applications are examined according to the Ministry’s international labour force policy and its published assessment criteria. The main current criteria are:

• Employment criterion: In workplaces keeping balance-sheet accounts, at least five Turkish citizens should be employed for each foreigner to be employed. In workplaces with net sales of TRY 50,000,000 or more in the last year, this criterion does not apply for up to five foreigners.
• Financial adequacy criterion: In newly established workplaces, paid-in capital must be at least TRY 500,000; in operating workplaces, paid-in capital must be at least TRY 500,000, or net sales at least TRY 8,000,000, or exports at least USD 150,000.
• Wage criterion: The wage paid to the foreigner, based on the gross minimum wage at the date of application, cannot be lower than 5 times the minimum wage for senior managers and pilots, 4 times for engineers and architects, 3 times for other managers, 2 times for jobs requiring expertise or craftsmanship, and the minimum wage for domestic services and other jobs.
• New exception (from 3 August 2026): For in-country applications for foreigners who have stayed legally in Türkiye for at least one year in the last three years with a work permit, residence permit or international protection, the employment and financial adequacy criteria are not applied, limited to a maximum of three foreigners. In this case, the number of foreign employees at the workplace should not exceed the number of Turkish citizen employees.
• Sector-specific rules: In the IT sector, employment and financial adequacy criteria do not apply to specialist jobs such as software, database, network and security. In health and education services, prior permission from the relevant ministry or the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is mandatory (Art. 8). There are also special conditions for domestic work in child, disabled or elderly care and patient attendance.

Since the Ministry updates the criteria from time to time, the current text should be checked before applying. In addition, applications made with false or misleading documents, where the justification for employing a foreigner is found insufficient, for occupations reserved for Turkish citizens, or considered objectionable for public order and security are rejected (Art. 9).

How to Apply for a Work Permit in Türkiye

1. In-country application: Made for foreigners in Türkiye who hold a valid residence permit of at least six months. The employer applies online through e-Devlet to the Ministry’s electronic work permit system, and the foreigner’s details and documents are uploaded to the system.
2. Application from abroad (work visa): A foreigner without a residence permit applies for a work visa at the Turkish embassy or consulate general in the country of which they are a citizen or where they reside legally. With the reference number given to them, the employer completes the application online. The consulate forwards the application to the Ministry (Art. 7/1).
3. Authorised intermediary institution: Applications can also be made by intermediary institutions authorised by the Ministry (Art. 7/2).
4. Fee and valuable paper charge: If the application is approved, the foreigner is notified. If the fee and the valuable paper charge are not paid within 30 days of the notification, the application is rejected.
5. Entry into Türkiye: A foreigner granted a work permit on an application from abroad must come to Türkiye within six months of the permit’s start date; otherwise the permit is cancelled (Art. 12/2).

The work permit is issued for a period sixty days shorter than the validity of the foreigner’s passport (Art. 24). The passport’s validity should therefore be checked before applying.

Documents Required for a Work Permit

The documents vary according to the type of application, the foreigner’s occupation and the workplace. In general, the foreigner’s passport and photograph, diploma or professional qualification documents and their translations, a signed employment contract, the employer’s workplace information and documents showing its financial adequacy are requested. For occupations requiring prior permission, such as health and education, the relevant institution’s prior permission is also added. Since missing or incorrect documents are one of the most common reasons for rejection and delay, preparation should follow the Ministry’s current document list.

Work Permit Fees in 2026

In addition to the fee, a valuable paper charge of TRY 964 is payable for 2026. If the card is lost, half of the fee and the full valuable paper charge are collected again for reissue. These are the amounts announced by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for 2026 and are updated at the start of each year.

Work Permit Extension

An extension application must be made from sixty days before the work permit expires and in any event before it expires. An extension request made after expiry is not accepted (Art. 7/3); in that case the application is assessed as a first application and the criteria are applied again. With the same employer, up to two years are granted on the first extension and up to three years on later extensions.

Work Permit Exemption

Some foreigners can work with a work permit exemption certificate instead of a work permit (Art. 13). The exemption cases are listed in Article 48 of the Implementing Regulation of the International Labour Force Law, and applications are made through the Ministry’s e-Muafiyet system. An exemption cannot exceed the period set in the regulation for each case; work exceeding that period requires a work permit. Periods spent under an exemption are not counted towards legal work permit or residence permit periods (Art. 13/6).

In addition, exceptions to the application and assessment rules may be granted to certain groups, such as foreigners married to a Turkish citizen and living with their spouse in Türkiye, citizens of the European Union or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, persons notified as being of Turkish descent, and foreigners assessed as qualified workers or investors (Art. 16).

Temporary Protection, International Protection and Foreign Students

• International protection applicants and conditional refugees can apply for a work permit or exemption six months after their application date, and persons under temporary protection six months after their temporary protection identity document was issued; the positive opinion of the Ministry of Interior is required (Art. 17).
• Foreign students enrolled in a formal education programme can work with a work permit. Associate and bachelor’s degree students can apply after completing their first year and may work part-time; these limits do not apply to postgraduate students (Art. 19).

What If the Work Permit Is Rejected?

Rejection and cancellation decisions are served on the employer or on the foreigner holding an independent, indefinite or Turquoise Card permit. An objection to these decisions can be made to the Ministry within thirty days of service; if the objection is rejected, an action can be filed in the administrative courts (Art. 21). The time limit for filing a case at the administrative court is sixty days unless a special period is provided (Administrative Procedure Law, İYUK Art. 7). In the objection, the criterion on which the rejection is based should be identified, and if a missing document or criterion can be remedied, a new application should also be considered. You can find my work on administrative applications and cases on the administrative law page.

Penalties for Working Without a Permit in 2026

If the violations are repeated, the fines are doubled. A foreigner found working without a work permit is reported to the Ministry of Interior for deportation; the employer must cover the accommodation, return travel and, where necessary, health costs of that foreigner and of their spouse and children, if any (Art. 23). For deportation procedures, see the deportation page.

The Employer’s Notification and Social Security Obligations

Employers employing foreigners, and foreigners holding an indefinite or independent work permit, must notify the Ministry within fifteen days of the start and end of employment and of circumstances requiring cancellation of the permit. Social security obligations for foreign employees must also be fulfilled on time under Law No. 5510 (Art. 22). For the employment contract, wages and severance rights of foreign employees, see also the employment law page.

Legal Support for Work Permits and Immigration Law

The most common problems in work permit applications are miscalculating the criteria, missing or untranslated documents, missing the extension period and missing the thirty-day period for objecting to a rejection. I provide legal support to employers on employing foreign staff, work permit applications, objections to rejections and challenges to administrative fines, in files coming from all over Türkiye. For other immigration procedures, see the immigration and citizenship and Turkish citizenship pages, or get in touch through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions