Turkish Labor Law
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Law no. 4817 on the Work Permit for Foreigners includes foreigners working dependently and independently in Turkey, foreigners receiving professional training with an employer in Turkey as well as natural and legal persons employing foreigners.
Unless otherwise stipulated in the bilateral or multilateral agreements to which Turkey is a party, foreigners must obtain a permit before they start working dependently or independently in Turkey.
Foreigners may be granted a work permit for a workplace or a business. There is no system that will allow foreigners to gain a work permit and then choose their work or workplace. Foreigners are granted work permits for a specific workplace and the permit terminates when they quit the same workplace. Work permit applications can be made based on whether the foreigner is a resident in Turkey.
Those outside the scope of Law no. 4817 (those who do not need a work permit)
Those who obtain a permit to quit Turkish citizenship pursuant to the provisions of the Law of Turkish Citizenship (blue card holders), journalists/representatives of foreign press organizations in Turkey must obtain a permit from the general directorate of press and information.
Foreigners not subject to a work permit:
Professionals of the following occupational groups, according to their period of stay in Turkey, are not subject to a work permit.
- Foreigners arriving for the purpose of providing training on assembly, maintenance, reparation, use of machinery, without exceeding three months
- Foreigners arriving for fairs or circuses, without exceeding six months
- Foreigners arriving for universities and public institutions and organizations, without exceeding two years
- Those whose potential to contribute greatly to Turkey are notified to relevant authorities (six months)
- Foreigners arriving within the scope of the European Union Education and Youth Programs
- Foreigners entering Turkey as tour operator representatives (8 months)
- Foreign football players and other sportsmen, sportswomen, and coaches
- Foreign seamen assigned to the vessels operating outside the coasting trade line.
