TURKEY WORK PERMIT APPLICATION UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT PROCEDURE

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Revised November, 2024 – Resource, Turkish Ministry Family, Labor and Social Security
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FOREIGNERS TO ENTER TURKEY BY TOURIST VISA OR E-VISA AND WHO OBTAINS TOURISTIC RESIDENCE PERMIT ID CARD (WITH MIN 6 MONTHS VALIDITY REMAINING) MAY AT ANYTIME FIND A JOB IN TURKEY AND APPLY TO THE MINISTRY OF LABOR WITH THEIR EMPLOYER TOGETHER, FOR FOREIGNER WORK PERMIT ID CARD TO BE ISSUED IMMEDIATELY.
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1. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR WORK VISA TO ENTER TURKEY
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Ordinary Passport holders require Work visa to enter Turkey. For employment purpose travel, single entry sticker Visa upto 90 days is decided by the Ministry of Labor in Turkey and supplied by the Turkish Embassy or Consulate missions abroad. Work visa process time is 30 days.
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You may find out more about Visa types here, or visit the Turkish Ministry of Foreigner Affairs website for Visa information to foreigners.
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From yearly 52 million Tourist visa visits, only 80.000 foreigners enter Turkey by Work visas.
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For example the foreigner to find employment in Turkey and invited to work, must apply together with the Turkish company sponsor for process to enter Turkey and start to work.
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BASIC RULES TO FOREIGNERS FOR WORK VISA TO ENTER TURKEY
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NEW EMPLOYEE WHO ENTERED TURKEY BY WORK VISA AND AFTER WHO DECIDE NOT TO TAKE THE JOB POSITION, MAY EXIT TURKEY WITHIN FIRST 15 DAYS FROM ENTRY DATE TO AVOID VISA OVERSTAY AND FINE AND BAN ON ENTRY DURING EXIT.
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IMPORTANT – Turkish employer to sponsor a foreigner from abroad to enter Turkey by Work visa, and after entered Turkey within the first 15 days must continue to activate Foreigner Work Permit ID card by first month SGK social security fee and registration for government healthcare benefit, or the ID Card will cancel.
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An employee who enters Turkey (on travel purpose for employment / special employment or labor purpose) by Work visa must be insured under the Turkish government SGK social security and healthcare at all times, to stay longer and safe in Turkey, and work legal.
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IMPORTANT – Foreigner employee after entered Turkey within the first 20 days must inform the Turkish employer their Turkey home address to activate Residence Permit inside for residency as you will start to live in Turkey that must be registered in the Turkish national address NVI grid system or the ID Card will cancel.

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Foreigners who residence abroad and who will travel to Turkey for employment / special employment or labor purpose the employee shall enter by Work permit and Visa under the employment procedure in Turkey.
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Methods and principles concerning Foreigner work permits to be issued to the foreigner vary by relevant sectors such as, Education, Housekeeping services, Health, Tourism, Entertainment, Aviation and others.
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Just as foreigner may not work at every job in Turkey, not just every Turkish employer may hire a foreigner to work on the job site.
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Find out more about Work permit criteria for employer and foreigner employee in Turkey.

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2. FOREIGNER WORK PERMIT IS PERMISSION TO WORK IN TURKEY ONLY
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In this case the foreigner above age 18 and who is offered a job in Turkey, he or she may be qualified and hired by the sponsor Employer or Turkish company by the method of an employer and employee, signed labor Contract and company Invitation letter for completion.
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The Consulates of the Republic of Turkey will execute online permit procedures for Work Permit application filed abroad, however Work permit applications are concluded by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security within 30-days in Turkey, and not by the Turkish Embassy or Consular missions abroad. Upon Work Permit approvals, the Turkish Ministry of Labor sends out the Turkish Embassy or Consular mission an online instruction to issue Work Visa to enter Turkey.

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Check for step-by-step infographic process on Turkish work permit applications from abroad.
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Work Permits have equivalence to Residence Permit when applied from outside Turkey Upon a Work Permit approved by the Ministry of Labor, the foreigner is charged an entry Visa fee, work permit fee and residence fee by the Turkish consular office abroad.
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Since Work Permits when applied from abroad, includes Residence Permit also to live in Turkey the annotated Work visa issued in Passport by these offices, can only be used for single entrance.
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NEXT FOREIGNER WORK PERMIT ID CARD IS AVAILABLE AT ENTRY IN TURKEY FIRST TIME 3, 6 MONTHS UPTO 1 YEAR ISSUED BY MINISTRY OF LABOR AND POSTED TO TURKISH EMPLOYER WITH COMPANY NAME SHOWN ON BACK. YOU ARE NOW INSURED AND A WORK PERMIT BEARER, YOU ARE SAFE.
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By the Turkish employer monthly salary and continued government SGK social security contributions you are active within the Turkish labor system, and protected under government Medical insurance, future retirement and pension rights as foreigner. (like Azad visa must keep active with payroll in Saudi or KSA Dubai)
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Turkey Citizenship 2021 – The foreigner employee to start and complete 60 months total stay in Turkey with completed SGK premium payments has the option to apply for passport and Turkish citizenship without the condition to buy property in Turkey or make any investment, continued by the current legislative change.

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3. BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE TO ENTER TURKEY WITH FAMILY TRAVEL
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During the Work visa confirmation, should family travel be required with the applicant (under the family unity clause) the applicant may sponsor family for Tourism visa without extra documents and enter Turkey at the same time. Each family member is required to obtain different reference number from online visa application system. Each family member should have a separate and complete file and pay the visa fees.
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Upon entered the family members should lodge online first-time application for Touristic residence permit in Turkey and continue to live 1 upto 2 year Touristic without work.
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In any case family member may option to exit Turkey in 30 days and return back to the country of citizenship or legal stay.
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Person above age 18 with valid Touristic residence permit ID card, may enroll in higher education or work in Turkey.
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Children under age the 18 may attend public elementary, secondary and high school for Turkish and English language and education, and are free government Medical insured till age 18.

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4. FOREIGNERS WHO ENTER BY TURKISH EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACT EXPIRES
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The employee inherits the option to,
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continue Work permit extension 1 upto 2 years with current Turkish employer
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transfer to new Work permit 1 upto 2 years to new Turkish employer
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depart in 10 days to avoid overstay violation in Turkey
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transfer in 10 days to Touristic residence permit ID card to live 1 upto 2 years without work, or search work again, or work in Turkey 5 years total and transfer to Turkish citizenship.

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Foreigner work permit ID card may be used to enter and exit Visa-free at 66 Turkish airports, 180 harbors, and 26 borders of the Republic of Turkey, North Cyprus, Georgia and Ukraine on travel.
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How to check Turkish work permit online? To query your Foreigner Work Permit ID Card validity enter the Yabanci 99 Kimlik number here.

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HOW TO APPLY FOR WORK PERMIT AND VISA FROM TURKISH EMBASSY ABROAD?
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STEP 1 – The employer and employee have agreed, and the foreigner is hired outside Turkey for employment in Turkey. SIGN LABOR CONTRACT AND SEND BACK TO EMPLOYER
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STEP 2 – WORK VISA APPLICATION AND UPLOAD OF SIGNED LABOR CONTRACT is lodged according to immigration law online for the Pre-Application System for Turkish Sticker Visa at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in your country to start the Foreigner work permit process in Turkey. PRINT AND SIGN WORK VISA APPLICATION FORM
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FOREIGNER EMPLOYEE MAY APPLY with documents below to the Turkish Embassy or Consulate and pay transaction fees for entry. For India candidates apply to Gateway VAC in Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad. Pakistani must apply to Anatolia VAC and Visa 2023 fees in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Hyderabad. All Arab and Gulf countries must apply to VFS Global.
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UPDATE AFRICA COUNTRIES – In 2023 the Turkish Work visa applications are processed at Voya Visa VAC in Abuja, Lagos Nigeria, Accra in Ghana and Hargeisa in Somalia, Yaoundé in Cameroon. Ethiopia may process directly at TSA Turkish Service Agency. Other Africa countries including Kenya shall continue WORK VISA application at Turkish Embassy or Consulate missions on schedule.
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BIOMETRIC PHOTO
BIOMETRIC PASSPORT
POLICE CHARACTER CERTIFICATE
POLIO CERTIFICATE
TURKISH LABOR CONTRACT
COMPANY INVITATION LETTER
TURKISH COMPANY REGISTRATION

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Next the Employee shall receive e-mail from the Turkish Embassy or Consulate for application in progress. SEND BACK REFERENCE NUMBER TO EMPLOYER
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STEP 3 –The sponsor employer or Turkish company will follow-up your WORK PERMIT APPLICATION at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security website, and conclude for approval procedure.
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The Turkish company shall receive an official e-mail 12-15 days after from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security for WORK PERMIT CONFIRMATION in Turkey. You may proceed to the Turkish Embassy or Consulate with your original Passport + one-way flight reservation booking with departure date + and travel insurance. COLLECT WORK VISA TO ENTER TURKEY
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Start your experience in beautiful Turkey, and enjoy to live and work, as planned.
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