İçindekiler Tablosu
What is Work Permit for Foreigners in Turkey?
Work permit for foreigners in Turkey is the permission granted by the Republic of Turkey to foreign nationals to work in the country legally. This permit enables foreigners to have the right to work in Turkey and to protect their rights legally.
The work permits of foreigners in Turkey are regulated by Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection and Law No. 6735 on International Labor. These laws determine the permits required for foreigners to work in Turkey.
To be able to work in Turkey, foreigners must not fall under the provisions of Article 7 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, which outlines the conditions that prevent foreigners from entering the country. Work permit applications can be made directly to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Turkey, or to the Republic of Turkey Embassies or Consulates in the country where the foreigner is a citizen or legally resides.
How Many Types of Work Permits Are There for Foreigners Living in Turkey?
There are three types of work permits for foreigners living in Turkey:
1-Limited Work Permit: Issued to work in a specific workplace and profession according to the duration of employment contract or work.
2-Unlimited Work Permit: Issued to foreigners who have resided legally and uninterruptedly in Turkey for at least 8 years or who have worked legally in Turkey for a total of 8 years, regardless of market conditions, for any business, profession, or location.
3-Independent Work Permit: Issued to professional foreign nationals who have resided legally and uninterruptedly in Turkey for at least 5 years, based on the criteria determined by the Ministry. This permit is granted based on various factors such as the individual’s education level, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, and the effect of their activities or investments on the economy and employment in Turkey.
Temporary Work Permit:
A temporary work permit is issued for periods of less than one year and is determined based on factors such as the state of the job market, developments in the labor market, and changes in the sectoral and economic conjuncture related to employment. If an extension application is made by the foreign employer at the end of one year, a temporary work permit of up to 2 years can be granted. For subsequent extensions, a maximum of 3 years of temporary work permit can be granted. In the case of applications made to work with a different employer, a one-year valid work permit is granted.
Unlimited Work Permit:
Unlimited work permit can be granted to foreigners who have resided legally and uninterruptedly in Turkey for at least eight years or have worked legally and uninterruptedly in Turkey for a total of eight years. This permit is granted without any limitation on a specific enterprise, profession, territorial or geographical area. Foreigners with an unlimited work permit enjoy all the rights provided by a long-term residence permit and are entitled to the same rights as Turkish citizens, subject to the relevant legislation regarding the use of social security rights except for special regulations. Foreigners with an unlimited work permit have no obligation to perform military service and have the right to vote and to be elected.
The Independent Work Permit:
Professional foreign nationals can be granted independent work permits by the Ministry provided that they have legally resided in Turkey for at least five years without interruption. This permit is evaluated in line with the international workforce policy.
Professional foreign nationals who wish to obtain an independent work permit must have legally resided in Turkey for at least five years. In addition, the applicant’s educational level, professional experience, contributions to science and technology, impact of their activities or investments in Turkey on the country’s economy and employment, and capital share if they are a foreign partner in a company are also taken into consideration.
The independent work permit enables the foreign national to work on their own account. In this case, they can benefit from the rights granted to Turkish citizens and their acquired rights related to social security are reserved. However, they do not have the right to vote, to be elected, to hold public office, or to perform military service.
Relationship Between Work Permit and Residence Permit in Turkey
Work permit is a type of permit that includes residence permit in all cases. Accordingly, the valid work permit specified in Article 27 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 and the "Work Permit Exemption Confirmation Certificate" issued in accordance with Article 10 of the Law on Work Permits of Foreigners No. 4817 serve as a substitute for a residence permit. Therefore, if a foreigner has a valid work permit in Turkey, which is often required for residing in the country for a certain period of time, a residence permit is not needed in many cases.
Summary and Assessment
In conclusion, foreign nationals who wish to work in Turkey must meet certain conditions to obtain a work permit. Work permits are granted in three different forms: limited, indefinite, and independent, and are determined based on the individual’s situation, the state of the job market, and other factors.
On the other hand, foreign health (residence permit) insurance is a mandatory procedure for foreign nationals who are trying to obtain many rights, including residence and work permits, in the Republic of Turkey. In this context, whether you take out a new health insurance or decide to change your current insurance company, we recommend that you first use our free, interactive audio and video communication channels available on our website, and do not hesitate to receive "free live counseling" from our expert Complementary Health Insurance representatives.
We wish you a healthy life during your stay in our country, and we would like to remind you that you can contact us without hesitation for any inquiries regarding foreign health insurance.
