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Work Permit

Get the guidance of CottGroup®'s consultants in your applications from Türkiye or abroad.

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Work Permit

Get the guidance of CottGroup®'s consultants in your applications from Türkiye or abroad.

Get a Quote

Successful Results in Work Permit Applications
with Our Expert Team

The Ministry of Labor has strict and incredibly detailed procedures for foreign nationals who seek to
work and obtain a work permit in Türkiye. We provide end-to-end services and step-by-step guidance to
companies that have or need staff in Türkiye with our expert team.

Work Permit Evaluation

Free consultancy for work permit evaluation in Türkiye.

Accurate Guidance and Roadmap

Accurate guidance and roadmap.

Expert Work Permit Consultants

Tracking application with expert work permit consultants.

How to Acquire a Turkish Work Permit for Your Employees

Bildirim

There are two different ways of application to obtain a work permit in Türkiye depending on the status of residency.

Work Permit Application from Türkiye
Work Permit Application from Abroad

Application from Türkiye

1- Workplace Registration Process & Authorization of Consultants on the Online Portal

Workplace Registration

The first step of the application is to create a workplace registration on the online portal of the Ministry of Labor. This step will be completed with the electronic signature and the Registered E-Mail (KEP) address of your Social Security Institution (SSI) workplace representative suitable for notification. At this step, no form, petition, or document will be sent to the Ministry of Labor; you will only need to authorize our consultants on the system. Afterwards, our consultants will complete the required documents for application on behalf of the workplace and submit them to the Ministry.

It is important that your SSI workplace representative has a mobile signature and KEP address. Click here for further information on mobile signature and KEP .

When creating a workplace registration on the online portal of the Ministry, first the SSI workplace registration number is entered into the system, and information about the workplace is registered. Afterwards, the Trade Registry Gazette, Certificate of Activity, approved Corporate Tax Declaration for the last year should be uploaded to the system and the capital details of the workplace should be entered. The workplace registration will be finalized when these steps are completed.

Authorization

After the workplace registration is completed, the authorization process starts. At this step, the SSI representative of the workplace will log into the system and enter the name-surname, contact information, and Turkish Republic ID numbers of the consultant you will authorize and complete the authorization process by signing with e-signature. With this authorization, your consultants will be able to contact the Ministry on your behalf and follow up documents manually.

2- Delivery of the Documents to the Ministry

The Ministry requests some documents belonging to both the company and the foreign employee candidate. After these documents are submitted to the Ministry through the online system by ourselves, the work permit application is taken under evaluation.

Company Documents to be Submitted

  • Corporate Tax Declaration
  • Trade Registry Gazette
  • Certificate of Activity
  • SSI List for the relevant period
  • SSI clearance letter from SSI
  • Tax clearance letter from the Tax Office can also be requested.

Candidate Employee Documents to be Submitted

  • Employment contract signed with the current date (must be clearly stated as "monthly wage XXXX Turkish Liras / monthly gross" and must be necessarily signed with a blue pen)
  • Passport (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Certificate (of Graduation) (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Foreigner's contact information (e-mail address / phone number)
  • Photo (scanned portrait photo)

3- Evaluation and Approval Process

The work permit card following the approval of the application and payment of the governmental fees will be delivered by PTT (Turkish Post) to the relevant workplace.

4- Expenses

The expenses for 2024 are as follows. The consultant fee will be added on top of this cost.

  1. Valuable paper fee [565,00 TRY]
  2. Work permit fee for 1 year [(7.345 TRY + 565 TRY) = 7.910 TRY]
  3. Work permit fee for 2 year [(14.690 TRY + 565 TRY) = 15.255 TRY]
  4. Work permit fee for 3 year [(22.035 TRY + 565 TRY) = 22.600 TRY]
  5. Notary and translation costs vary per character and page; you can get information according to the number of documents.

Work permit fees will be paid to the relevant banks in Türkiye by the company for which the foreign employee will work.

5- Minimum Gross Wages Required to get a Work Permit

Legally, updating the employee's base wage in a way not to be below the related rate in accordance with the yearly amendment of the minimum wage, and the full payment of SSI premiums is also important in this process.

Following the approval of the work permit, the registration of the foreign employee must be completed in the SSI within 30 days after the payment of the governmental fees. Otherwise, the company may face administrative penalties.

Gross Wage Amounts by Position

Positions Minimum Wage Rate
For foreigners who will work in a household employee position 1
For foreigners who will work in staff status such as Customer Representative, Sales Agent, Marketing Officer, Export Officer 1,5
For foreigners who work in jobs as masseurs, masseuses and SPA personnel along with acrobats and similar job positions in tourism companies 2
For those who will work in jobs that require expertise and mastery, e.g. teachers, doctors 3
For department and regional/branch managers or engineers and architectures 4
For senior executives, pilots and executive engineers and architects requesting preliminary authorization 6,5
Bildirim

Please consider the workload of the Ministry staff and delays that may arise due to restrictions caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Application from Abroad

1- Workplace Registration Process & Authorization of Consultants on the Online Portal

Workplace Registration

The first step of the application is to create a workplace registration on the online portal of the Ministry of Labor. This step will be completed with the electronic signature and the Registered E-Mail (KEP) address of your Social Security Institution (SSI) workplace representative suitable for notification. At this step, no form, petition, or document will be sent to the Ministry; you will only need to authorize our consultants on the system. Afterwards, our consultants will complete the required documents for application on behalf of the workplace and submit them to the Ministry.

It is important that your SSI workplace representative has a mobile signature and KEP address. Click here for further information on mobile signature and KEP .

When creating a workplace registration on the online portal of the Ministry, first the SSI workplace registration number is entered into the system, and information about the workplace is registered. Afterwards, the Trade Registry Gazette, Certificate of Activity, approved Corporate Tax Declaration for the last year should be uploaded to the system and the capital details of the workplace should be entered. The workplace registration will be finalized when these steps are completed.

Authorization

After the workplace registration is completed, the authorization process is started. At this step, the SSI representative of the workplace will log into the system and enter the name-surname, contact information, and Turkish Republic ID numbers of the consultant you will authorize and complete the authorization process by signing with e-signature. With this authorization, your consultants will be able to contact the Ministry on your behalf and follow up documents manually.

2- Getting a Reference Number

The employee candidate must obtain a reference number by visiting the Turkish Consulate/Embassy in the country of his/her legal residence. The foreign employee candidate must complete the documents required for the Work Permit application.

Additional documents may be requested by the Consulate/Embassy in the relevant country, but the documents requested mainly are as follows. The petitions required to get the reference number are provided by us.

  • Employment contract signed with the current date (must be clearly stated as "monthly wage XXXX Turkish Liras/monthly gross" and must be necessarily signed with a blue pen)
  • Passport (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Certificate (of Graduation) (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Photo (scanned portrait photo - original can be requested as well)
  • Petition stating that the company (employer) wants to sponsor for a work permit (to be prepared by us) , additional documents belonging to the company may be requested by the Consulate along with the petition
  • A petition signed by the foreign candidate stating wish to work for the relevant company in Türkiye by obtaining a work permit (it will be prepared by us)

It should not be forgotten that the validity period of the reference number to be sent to us is ten days.

3- Delivery of the Documents to the Ministry

The Ministry of Labor requests some documents belonging to both the company and the foreign employee candidate. After these documents are submitted to the Ministry by ourselves with the authorization granted through the online system, the work permit application is taken under evaluation.

Company Documents to be Submitted

  • Corporate Tax Declaration
  • Temporary Tax Return for the last period
  • Trade Registry Gazette
  • Certificate of Activity
  • SSI List for the relevant period
  • SSI clearance letter from SSI
  • Tax clearance letter from the Tax Office can also be requested.

Candidate Employee Documents to be Submitted

  • Employment contract signed with the current date (must be clearly stated as "monthly wage XXXX Turkish Liras/monthly gross" and must be necessarily signed with a blue pen)
  • Passport (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Certificate (of Graduation) (with Turkish translation and notarized copy)
  • Photo (scanned portrait photo)
  • Foreigner's contact information (e-mail address/phone number)
  • The reference number to be provided: Since this reference number, which will be valid for 10 days if the foreigner applies for a work permit from abroad, it is important that it is shared with us right after it is sent to the foreigner by the Consulate.

The work permit card for the approved work permits will be delivered by PTT to the relevant workplace.

4- Evaluation and Approval Process

Once the application is submitted to the Ministry and the work permit is approved after the evaluation is completed, the foreign employee candidate must re-visit the Turkish Consulate and obtain the work visa. After providing a visa, he/she can enter Türkiye.

Prior to re-visiting the Consulate to obtain the work visa by the foreigner, the work permit governmental fees are to be paid by the employer company in Türkiye.

5- Expenses

The expenses for 2024 are as follows. The consultant fee will be added on top of this cost.

  1. Valuable paper fee [565,00 TRY]
  2. Work permit fee for 1 year [(7.345 TRY + 565 TRY) = 7.910 TRY]
  3. Work permit fee for 2 year [(14.690 TRY + 565 TRY) = 15.255 TRY]
  4. Work permit fee for 3 year [(22.035 TRY + 565 TRY) = 22.600 TRY]
  5. Notary and translation costs vary per character and page; you can get information according to the number of documents.

6- Minimum Gross Wages Required to get a Work Permit

To meet the legal requirements, the employee's base salary shall be compliant with the job title and the minimum salary levels as per the job positions. When the minimum wage is amended by the authorities, the salary of the employee shall also be adjusted accordingly and the SSI premiums are to be paid fully.

Following the approval of the work permit, the foreign employee must enter Türkiye within 180 days. Following the entrance to Türkiye, the foriegner's SSI registration shall be completed by the employer company within 30 days.  Otherwise, the company may face administrative penalties.

Gross Wage Amounts by Position

Positions Minimum Wage Rate
For foreigners who will work in a household employee position 1
For foreigners who will work in staff status such as Customer Representative, Sales Agent, Marketing Officer, Export Officer 1,5
For foreigners who work in jobs as masseurs, masseuses and SPA personnel along with acrobats and similar job positions in tourism companies 2
For those who will work in jobs that require expertise and mastery, e.g. teachers, doctors 3
For department and regional/branch managers or engineers and architectures 4
For senior executives, pilots and executive engineers and architects requesting preliminary authorization 6,5
Bildirim

Please consider the workload of the Ministry staff and delays that may arise due to restrictions caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

What is mobile signature and how to get it?

What is a mobile signature?

Mobile Signature is a system that enables secure electronic signature transactions using a mobile phone and GSM SIM card in accordance with the Electronic Signature Law No. 5070 and the relevant legal legislation.

While no fee is charged by the e-Government Gateway for the use of mobile signatures on the e-Government Gateway, there is a charge made by GSM operators. You can have further information about Mobile Signature charges from Turkcell, Türk Telekom, or Vodafone.

How to get a mobile signature?

Mobile electronic signature is a service offered by GSM operators. The mobile signature subscription consists of three steps: Pre-application, Application, and Activation. You can have further information by contacting Turkcell, Türk Telekom, or Vodafone, which offer this service, and get a mobile signature by making an application.

Turkcell Mobile Signature Information Page* (* The link is in Turkish.)

Türk Telekom Mobile Signature Information Page* (* The link is in Turkish.)

Vodafone Mobile Signature Information Page* (* The link is in Turkish.)

What is a registered e-mail address (KEP) and how to obtain it?

KEP is a legally valid e-mail transmission service that uses the technological infrastructure of e-mail, where evidence of sending and receiving e-mail is created and stored. KEP is a system that allows official correspondence to be made electronically in accordance with the legal regulations, in international standards, and technically in a highly secure manner.

After the developments in commercial activities and management, the use of electronic mail has become significantly common.

However, there are some vulnerabilities in the standard e-mail system:

  • It contains evidential elements in a limited number and quality in legal terms.
  • The onus of proof of e-mail belongs to the sender itself.
  • The time stamp of the e-mail depends on the time settings of the computer from which the e-mail is sent. This weakens the evidential value for time in controversial situations.
  • It is possible to modify the contents of standard e-mails.

Please click here* to access the FAQ about KEP. (*The link is in Turkish.)

Please click here* to access the list of suppliers where you can have KEP services. (*The link is in Turkish.)

Equivalency of Graduation Certificates in Work Permits

Equivalency of Graduation Certificates in Work Permits

If the graduation certificates of foreign employees are required to be used for job positions in Türkiye, it should be regulated with the certificate of equivalence by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). This process takes time and may lengthen the period for the approval of work permit. Equivalency applications can be made online at denklik.yok.gov.tr*. (The link is in Turkish.)

Boss Yönetişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. is proud to be a local payroll partner of ADP in Türkiye.

Designing better ways to work through cutting-edge products, premium services and exceptional experiences that enable people to reach their full potential. HR, Talent, Benefits, Payroll and Compliance informed by data and designed for people.

Learn more at www.adp.com

ADP, ADP logo and the slogan "Always Designing for PeopleTM" belong to the registered trademark of ADP, LLC.

Awards for CottGroup® Services

Service Exporters' Association 4th Prize Winner
Ranked 6th among the Human Resources Management Software developers of Türkiye
Ranked 4th as Consultancy Service Provider
Ranked 29th as Service Provider

(*) Services Exporters' Association - 2022
(**) Bilişim 500 - 2022

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