Türkiye work permit (çalışma izni) under International Labour Force Law No. 6735, with work visa
Foreigners must get a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security before starting work in Türkiye. A permit tied to a specific employer is first issued for up to 1 year. While valid, it also counts as a residence permit. From abroad, the foreigner applies for a work visa at a Turkish mission and gets a reference number. The employer then completes the application online through e-İzin. The Ministry checks the employer's size, finances and the wage offered against published criteria.
Life in Türkiye
Money
3
Currency
Turkish Lira
TRY
Turkish Lira
Cost of living
45
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
15–40%
Income tax (national)
40% applies above TRY 5.3 million of annual income (2026 brackets); wage income has a separate 27% band threshold.
Living
1
Happiness
#92 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Foreign nationals with a job offer from an employer in Türkiye that meets the Ministry's evaluation criteria.
Eligibility
Job offer and contract
A signed employment contract with a Türkiye-based employer is required. The permit applies to that employer's workplace, or its workplaces in the same line of business.
Five Turkish staff per foreignerGeneral criteria
Employers with balance-sheet accounts need 5 Turkish citizens employed for each foreign employee, with an exception for high sales.
Staffing ratio and sales exception
- Turkish staff
- 5
- Net sales exceptionlast year, up to 5 foreigners
- TRY 50,000,000
- Exception covers up to 5 foreigners
Official wording
Employers keeping balance-sheet accounts need at least 5 Turkish citizens employed for each foreign employee. This does not apply for up to 5 foreigners where last-year net sales are TRY 50,000,000 or more.
Employer financial adequacyGeneral criteria
Your employer must show financial adequacy through paid-in capital, net sales or exports.
Employer financial adequacy
- New company capital
- TRY 500,000
- Existing: capital
- TRY 500,000
- Existing: net salesor this amount
- TRY 8,000,000
- Existing: exportsor this amount
- USD 150,000
- Existing companies need only one of the three
Official wording
New companies need paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000. Existing companies need TRY 500,000 paid-in capital, or TRY 8,000,000 net sales, or USD 150,000 exports.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirementMinimum wage multiples
- Document checklistEmployment contract signed by employer and foreigner
- FeesWork permit fee (harç), up to 1 year
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 7 more requirements
- 9 documents
- 7 fees
- 7 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Places to visit in Türkiye
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Official sources
- ÇSGB – Work permit evaluation criteria
- ÇSGB – 2026 work permit fees and card fee
- ÇSGB – Required documents
- ÇSGB – Work permit FAQ
- Official Gazette – Implementing Regulation of the International Labour Force Law (02.02.2022)
- Presidency of Migration Management – Residence permit types (long-term residence)
