International Workforce Law No. 6735, which is in effect as of 13 August 2016 has brought some changes on the fees of Work Permit and Work Permit Exemp­tion certificates. Also valuable paper fee will be collected for these documents.

As per the amended Turkish Act on Fees No. 492; following fees will be charged for Work Permit or Work Permit Exemption issued for foreigners;

    1. Temporary Work Permit and Work Permit Exemp­tion Certificate:     500 TRY
    Up to 1 year (including 1 year) (Extensions are subjected to same fees for each year.)            
    2. Permanent Work Permit Certificate:                     5.000 TRY
    3. Independent Work Permit Certificate:                 5.000 TRY

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to determine the work permit certificate fees according to reciprocity principle. Work permit exemption certificate issued for a period shorter than three months, and those issued for holders of Turquoise Card and their foreign spouses and minor and dependent children of them and their spouses are not subject to any fee."

Application time for extension of work permit has been significantly changed by the new Law No 6735. As of 31st August 2016, work permit application extensions will be made before the ex­piration of work permit, according to above mentioned Law.

As is known," International Workforce Law No. 6735," which regulates the transactions to be followed on work permits and work permit exemptions granted to foreigners has entered into force after being published in Official Gazette numbered 29800 dated, 13 August 2016 and replaced the former "Law on Work Permits of Foreigner, No. 4817.

International Workforce Law No. 6735, published in Official Gazette numbered 29800 dated 13 August 2016, has replaced the former Work Permit Law No 4817 and introduced many changes as regard to work permit regulations of foreigners. Also new amounts of administrative fines for illegal employment of foreigners and for failure to fulfill the obligation of notification arranged in Article 23 of the new Law are as follows.

Restructuring of SSI premium receivables, such as insurance premium, group insurance premium, pension deduction and institution's contribution, unemployment insurance premium, social security support premiums and receivables applied to principles receivables (penalties, default interests and late) has been started by the issuance of SSI Circular No. 2016/18, dated 22 August 2016.

As we informed you before, many of the public receivables, accrued before 30 June 2016, related to taxes and social security premiums, and subsidiary receivables associated with them will be restructured according to "Law on Restructuring Some Receivables, No. 6736 dated 3 August 2016."

Turkey has established a "Wealth Fund Management Company" intended to utilize the domestic public assets inside the economy, have access to external sources, and provide low-cost funds for the large-scale strategic infrastructure investments.

Government proposal on "Establishing Turkey Wealth Fund and Amending Certain Laws" has been accepted in Parliament and expected to be published in Official Journal to enter into force soon.

According to authorities the assets gathered in the found expected to reach up to 200 billion ($67 billion), large enough to be used in stabilization of the markets, and contribute an extra 1,5% to Turkey's economic growth.

The obligation of appointing or hiring occupational safety specialist and workplace doctor for every private establishments (including establishments with less than 50 personnel and/or in the scope of less hazard class) has been postponed to July 1, 2017.

Many of the provisions set forth in the "LAW ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY NO. 6331" had entered into force as of December 30, 2012 for workplaces with 50 or more personnel which engage in heavy duty and hazardous operations, however the effective dates of article 6 and 7 that include the above mentioned obligation for every private establishments with less than 50 personnel and/or in the scope of less hazard class had been postponed to July 1, 2016, because sufficient number of specialists and workplace doctor do not exist.