Work permits are governed by the International Labour Force Law No. 6735 and administered by the Directorate General of International Labour Force (UİGM) within the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Applications are filed online through the e-İzin system, always by the employer.
A work permit substitutes for a residence permit — a foreign employee holding one does not need a separate residence permit.
The employer conditions decide everything
Turkish employee quota
At least five Turkish citizens must be employed at the workplace for each foreign national. Each additional foreigner requires a further five Turkish employees.
Exemption: enterprises with annual net sales above TRY 50,000,000 may employ up to five foreigners without meeting the quota. The 5:1 ratio applies beyond the fifth foreigner.
Financial condition
The employer must meet at least one of:
- Paid-in capital of TRY 500,000, or
- Net sales of TRY 8,000,000, or
- Exports of USD 150,000
Newly established enterprises must have paid-in capital of TRY 500,000.
Foreign partner applying for their own permit
A foreign shareholder seeking a work permit in their own company must hold at least 20% of the shares with a capital share of at least TRY 500,000, and the workplace must meet the five-Turkish-employee condition.
A foreign partner whose capital contribution exceeds USD 100,000 is exempt from the employment and capital criteria.
Minimum salary
The salary offered must be at least a multiple of the gross minimum wage, by role:
| Role | Multiple of gross minimum wage |
|---|---|
| Senior executives and pilots | 5× |
| Engineers and architects | 4× |
| Other managers | 3× |
| Specialised and skilled occupations | 2× |
| Domestic services and other roles | 1× |
These multiples were reduced in October 2024 — senior executives were previously 6.5×, other managers 4× and skilled occupations 3×. The change made hiring foreign staff meaningfully cheaper to qualify for.
Sectoral exemptions
Information technology specialists — software development, database, mobile, security and architecture roles — are exempt from the employment and capital requirements. Ministry-approved technopark and R&D centre personnel receive comparable exemptions.
The two application routes
From abroad. The foreign national applies at a Turkish embassy or consulate in the country of citizenship or permanent residence, submitting the employment contract, letter of assignment or document evidencing company partnership, and receives a 16-digit reference number. The employer must then complete the online application in Türkiye within ten working days.
From inside Türkiye. Available where the foreign national holds a residence permit — other than a student permit — with at least six months' remaining validity. The employer files directly online with no consular step.
Processing and validity
The Ministry concludes applications within 30 days of a complete submission. If documents are missing, the applicant is notified and the 30-day period restarts when they are supplied. In practice, complete files are often decided faster.
Foreigners whose applications are approved from abroad must enter Türkiye within 180 days of the permit being issued, and register with the Address Registry System within 20 working days of entry.
Permits are typically granted initially for a limited period and extended, with extensions available for longer periods and for employment with any employer in the same profession after the initial terms. Foreigners with sufficient continuous lawful residence or continuous employment under a work permit may apply for an indefinite work permit.
Extension applications should be filed up to two months before expiry. Applications made more than a short window after expiry are treated as first-time applications — which restarts the whole eligibility assessment.
Turquoise Card
The Turquoise Card (Turkuaz Kart) provides an indefinite work permit to highly qualified individuals, assessed on a points system. Eligible categories include:
- Highly qualified professionals
- Significant investors, judged on investment volume, exports, employment created and technological contribution
- Scientists and researchers
- Internationally recognised figures in culture, art and sport
- Those advancing Türkiye's international standing
The holder's spouse and dependent children receive documents serving as residence permits. The card begins with a three-year transition period during which activity may be monitored; the holder must apply to lift transition status within the 180 days before it ends, after which the card becomes indefinite.
What this means if you are planning a Türkiye entry
The order of operations matters. If your plan is to send an expatriate manager to run a newly incorporated Turkish subsidiary from day one, check the employer conditions before you incorporate — the capital you choose to register determines whether the permit is available, and a company with TRY 50,000 of capital and no employees does not meet the financial condition or the quota.
Structuring around this is legitimate and routine, but it has to be done at formation. Retro-fitting it costs months.