Yabancı personelinizin work permit baştan sona biz yürütelim

The application is filed not by the foreign national, but by the employer who will hire them. To apply from within Turkey, the foreign national must have a residence permit issued for at least six months and valid as of the date of application. It is not necessary for the permit to have six months remaining before expiration; what matters is that the permit was originally issued for at least six months and is valid on the date of application.

For applications from abroad, the process is reversed: the foreign national applies to the Turkish embassy or consulate in their country, and the employer in Turkey completes the application through the e-Permit system using the 16-digit reference number provided. To obtain an employer-sponsored work visa, you must have an employer in Turkey who will hire you.

Blue Card holders and individuals with refugee or subsidiary protection status may work without obtaining a work permit, in accordance with the relevant special regulations.

The application process is conducted entirely through the e-Permit system. For domestic applications, the employer opens the file directly; for international applications, the reference number obtained from the consulate serves as the file’s key.

The validity period of your passport directly affects your application: a work permit is issued for a period that is at least 60 days shorter than the validity period of your passport. If your passport expires in 24 months, the permit you receive will be valid for approximately 22 months.

Foreign nationals entering Turkey on a work visa must register their address within 20 days of their date of entry at the latest.

This section does not contain a complete list of the documents required from employers and foreign nationals; since the list of documents varies depending on the type of application and the sector, the current list in the e-Permit system should be used as a reference.

All documents are scanned and uploaded to the e-Permit system; the original documents are not submitted to the agency in person. While reviewing the file, the Ministry may request additional information and documents not listed.

The basic documents required from the employer are as follows: the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette showing the company’s incorporation and current capital/ownership structure (for tradespeople and artisans, a chamber of commerce registration certificate or a certificate of registration), a balance sheet and income statement for the most recent fiscal year, certified by the tax office or a certified public accountant, and, for workplaces requiring a permit, the relevant operating license.

The process is different for applications submitted from abroad: the foreign national first applies to the Turkish consulate in their country of residence, provides the 16-digit reference number they receive to their employer, and the employer completes the application via e-İzin within 10 business days. If this deadline is missed, the application is deemed invalid. Every document obtained from abroad must bear an Apostille and a Turkish translation certified by a sworn translator or a notary public. If your country is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, the document must be certified by the relevant authorities of that country and by a Turkish consulate. Documents obtained from Turkish authorities must be either e-signed or signed and stamped/sealed.

The general rule is that businesses subject to the balance sheet system must employ at least five Turkish citizens for every foreign employee. There are exceptions to this requirement depending on the foreign employee’s status, the workplace, and the sector.

The general criterion for financial adequacy is a paid-in capital of at least 500,000 TL for newly established businesses. For existing businesses, a minimum of 500,000 TL in paid-in capital, 8,000,000 TL in net sales, or fulfillment of one of the specified export requirements is required (as of 2026).

The salary criteria vary depending on the position and profession. Under current criteria, the multiplier is 5 times the gross minimum wage for senior executives and pilots, 4 times for engineers and architects, 3 times for other executives, and lower multipliers are applied for jobs requiring specialized skills or expertise.

Failure to meet this criterion does not guarantee that a work permit will be granted. Salary, job description, professional qualifications, and workplace conditions are also reviewed.

An application for an extension must be completed in the e-Permit system before the current permit expires. If the deadline has passed, the application will be treated as a new application rather than an extension, and the right of residence will be reviewed separately.

An application filed on behalf of a different employer does not constitute an extension; it is a new work permit application. A temporary, employer-specific permit is valid only for the designated employer and position.

The amounts listed are official fees only; they do not include consulting, visa, or other expenses. If the application fee and stamp duty are not paid within 30 days of the notification date, the application will be rejected.

Which party is responsible for the payment may be determined based on the employment contract and the nature of the application; Social Security contributions and the work permit fee are separate obligations.

An appeal may be filed with the Ministry within 30 days of the notification of a decision to reject, revoke, refuse to extend, or terminate. If the appeal is denied, the administrative judicial process may be pursued.

Before filing an appeal, the grounds for rejection must be reviewed: workplace conditions, the number of Turkish employees, wages, job descriptions, and missing documentation are the most common reasons. Once the grounds for rejection have been addressed, a new application may be submitted; however, if the same deficiencies persist, there is a risk that the new application will also be denied.

When a work permit expires, the associated right of residence also ends. It should not be assumed that everyone is automatically granted an additional 10-day right to remain; the process of transitioning to the appropriate residence permit must be initiated before the permit expires.