Work Permit in Turkey: Types and Conditions (2026)

December 25, 2015Updated September 30, 20268 min read

To work legally in Turkey, a foreigner needs a work permit (or a work permit exemption) issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security under the International Labour Force Law No. 6735. In most cases the employer applies online on the foreigner's behalf; the main types are the temporary, indefinite and independent work permits and the Turquoise Card. A residence permit, including one obtained by buying property, does not give you the right to work.

This guide explains the permit types, how to apply, the criteria the Ministry applies to employers, who is exempt, and the professions reserved for Turkish citizens.

The legal framework

Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force (Official Gazette of 13 August 2016, No. 29800) sets the rules for foreigners working in Turkey. It replaced the earlier law on work permits for foreigners.
The General Directorate of International Labour Force at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security evaluates applications.
A valid work permit or work permit exemption also counts as a residence permit (Law No. 6735, Article 12), so a separate residence permit is not needed while it is valid.

Types of work permit

Type	Who it is for	Duration
Temporary work permit (süreli)	An employee of a specific employer, in a specific job	Up to 1 year at first; up to 2 years on the first extension and up to 3 years on later extensions with the same employer
Indefinite work permit (süresiz)	Foreigners with a long-term residence permit or at least 8 years of legal work permits	No end date; the document is renewed every 5 years
Independent work permit (bağımsız)	Professionals working in their own name and on their own account	Issued for a fixed period
Turquoise Card (Turkuaz Kart)	Highly qualified workers, investors, scientists and others the Ministry considers qualified	First 3 years are a transition period, then indefinite on application

Temporary work permit

The standard permit. It is tied to one employer (or workplaces of that employer in the same line of business) and cannot outlast the employment contract. A change of employer is treated as a new first application.

Indefinite work permit

Available to foreigners who hold a long-term residence permit or have held legal work permits for at least eight years. Meeting the conditions does not give an absolute right. Holders enjoy the rights of long-term residents and most of the rights of Turkish citizens in working life, but not the right to vote, stand for election or enter public service, and no military service obligation.

Independent work permit

For professionals who work for themselves rather than for an employer. The Ministry considers education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, the effect of the activity or investment on the economy and employment, and, for company partners, the capital share.

Turquoise Card

Granted to foreigners judged qualified by education, salary, experience, investment or export level, scientific contribution, or international success in culture, arts or sport. The first three years are a transition period; if the card is not cancelled, the holder can apply (within the last 180 days of that period) to make it indefinite. The holder's spouse and dependent children receive a document that replaces a residence permit, and the holder enjoys the rights of an indefinite work permit.

Company partners and managers

Foreigners who are shareholder-managers of a limited company, shareholder board members of a joint-stock company, or managing partners of a partnership limited by shares can work with a work permit (Article 10). Non-resident board members of joint-stock companies and partners who are not managers fall under the work permit exemption (Article 13).

How to apply

Employer applies online through the Ministry's e-İzin system (via e-Devlet or calismaizni.csgb.gov.tr), or through an authorised intermediary.
If you are abroad, you apply for a work visa at the Turkish embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship or legal residence, receive a 16-digit reference number, and the employer completes the online application with it. Once approved, you must enter Turkey within six months or the permit is cancelled.
If you are in Turkey, you need a valid residence permit of at least six months to apply from inside the country.
Decision: a complete application is decided within 30 days. Missing documents can suspend it for up to 30 days, after which it is refused.
Extensions must be filed from 60 days before expiry and always before the permit expires; a late application is treated as a new first application.

Jobs in health and education that require professional qualifications need a pre-permission from the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of National Education (or the Council of Higher Education for university staff) before the work permit is evaluated.

Criteria for employers

The Ministry publishes evaluation criteria and updates them from time to time. The general criteria in force in 2026 are:

Employment: at least five Turkish citizens employed for each foreigner in the workplace. Workplaces with net sales of at least TL 50 million in the last year are exempt for up to five foreigners.
Financial adequacy: a new company needs paid-in capital of at least TL 500,000; an established company needs paid-in capital of at least TL 500,000, or net sales of at least TL 8 million, or exports of at least USD 150,000.
Salary, as a multiple of the gross minimum wage at the date of application:

Position	Minimum salary
Senior managers and pilots	5 × minimum wage
Engineers and architects	4 × minimum wage
Other managers	3 × minimum wage
Jobs requiring expertise or mastery	2 × minimum wage
Domestic services and other jobs	At least the minimum wage

Foreign company partners: a foreign partner in a new or existing company needs a capital share of at least TL 500,000 and at least 20% of the company (with paid-in capital of at least TL 500,000), and the company must employ five Turkish citizens from the seventh month. These two conditions do not apply to a foreign partner with a capital share of USD 100,000 or more.

Sector-specific rules relax some criteria, for example for software and IT specialists, tourism, health, education, aviation and R&D centres.

Who is exempt from these criteria

The employment, financial and salary criteria do not apply to, among others:

foreigners whose mother, father or child is a Turkish citizen;
holders of a long-term residence permit;
foreigners married to a Turkish citizen and living together for at least three years;
foreigners who have lived in Turkey for at least eight years on work or residence permits;
foreigners of Turkish descent confirmed by the Ministry of Interior or Foreign Affairs, and citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Since 3 August 2026, domestic applications for up to three foreigners who have been legally in Turkey for at least one year in the last three years are also exempt from the employment and financial criteria, provided the number of foreigners does not exceed the number of Turkish employees.

Being in an exempt group does not give an automatic right to a permit.

Work permit exemptions

Some short-term or specific activities need only a work permit exemption rather than a permit, for example cross-border service providers who work in Turkey for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period (Article 13). Time spent on an exemption does not count towards the eight years needed for an indefinite permit.

Professions reserved for Turkish citizens

Several laws reserve certain professions for Turkish citizens, so foreigners cannot receive a work permit for them. The Ministry's list includes: lawyer, notary, judge and prosecutor, dentist, pharmacist, veterinarian, responsible manager of a private hospital, patient carer, certified public accountant (mali müşavir), customs broker's assistant, private security officer, tourist guide, travel agency manager, mediator, and maritime jobs in Turkish territorial waters. Foreign doctors, by contrast, can work with a pre-permission from the Ministry of Health.

When a permit is cancelled

Besides expiry, the Ministry cancels a permit if, for example, the job ends, the holder works in breach of the law, the permit was obtained with false documents, or the holder stays outside Turkey for more than six months without a break (temporary permits) or more than one year (independent and indefinite permits), except for health reasons or force majeure.

What this means for property buyers

Owning property does not give the right to work. A residence permit through property lets you live in Turkey, not take a job. See our guide to the residence permit through property.
Citizenship removes the need for a work permit. Foreigners who acquire Turkish citizenship by investment work like any Turkish citizen. See Citizenship by Investment.
Company owners can work in their own company with a work permit if the company meets the criteria above; a capital share of USD 100,000 or more removes the partner-specific capital and employment conditions.
Rules and thresholds change, so check the Ministry's current criteria or ask a specialist before you plan your move. Contact us if you are buying property in Istanbul as part of a move to Turkey.