Work residence permit — work permit application support

Who is entitled to a work residence permit?

A foreigner obtains a work permit that also serves as a legal residence permit when they have an actual employment relationship with an employer officially registered in Turkey, under International Labor Force Law No. 6735. By law, the work permit stands in for the worker's own residence permit for its entire validity period, though this does not necessarily extend to people seeking international protection or those under temporary protection.

Some categories are already exempt from the requirement of a separate work permit, such as Blue Card holders, members of diplomatic missions, refugees, and holders of secondary protection status. For other foreigners, simply holding another type of residence permit does not automatically grant the right to work.

The employer also carries a core obligation to be properly registered with the Social Security Institution and to meet requirements related to the size of the business and its financial capacity, in addition to a specific ratio of Turkish employees per foreign employee in most sectors.

Documents and general requirements

Important points to know

• The work permit is tied to a specific employer and job; the worker may not move to another employer under the same permit — this requires an entirely new permit
• Moving between branches of the same employer within the same activity is possible without a new permit in some cases, if conditions are met
• Regulations generally require employing a certain number of Turkish nationals per foreign employee at the business, with exceptions for some companies with high sales or export volume, and for specific sectors such as industry and tourism
• Some professions are legally restricted to Turkish citizens, such as law, notary services, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, private security, tourist guiding, and some maritime positions
• The employer is obligated to notify the ministry within fifteen days of the start or end of employment
• Working without a valid permit exposes both the worker and the employer to administrative and criminal penalties under the law

Duration and validity

A temporary work permit tied to a single employer is granted for up to one year on the first application. On the first extension it can reach up to two years, and on subsequent extensions up to three years, provided the worker continues with the same employer. After years of continuous work, a foreigner can apply for a permanent work permit granting the right to work and reside indefinitely, subject to periodic review every five years under rules set by the ministry.

The renewal application window opens sixty days before the permit's expiry date, and the worker may continue working while the application is under review for up to ninety days. The passport must also remain valid for at least sixty days beyond the work permit's validity.

Most common reasons for rejection or delay

• Missing required documents or mismatched data, which restarts the review period from scratch
• The employer not meeting the required employment conditions, such as the ratio of Turkish employees or the minimum capital or business volume
• Applying for a job among the professions legally restricted to Turkish citizens
• A mismatch between academic qualifications or professional experience and the nature of the required job
• Labor market conditions and the relevant economic sector at the time of application

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreign worker change employer without losing their residence status? No, the work permit is tied to a specific employer and job, and any move to a new employer requires submitting an entirely new work permit application, not just an update to the existing permit.

What happens if the employment relationship ends before the permit expires? The employer is obligated to notify the ministry within fifteen days of the employment ending, at which point the permit loses its validity as a residence document, requiring arrangement of an alternative residence status or departure from the country within the legal deadline.

Does a permanent permit mean no further action is ever needed? A permanent permit grants the right to work and reside indefinitely, but it is subject to periodic review every five years under rules set by the ministry — it is not a complete exemption from all future follow-up.

Do all companies require a specific ratio of Turkish employees per foreign employee? The general rule requires this at most businesses, but there are exceptions for companies with high sales or export volume, and for specific sectors such as industry, tourism, and agriculture, within conditions and deadlines announced by the ministry.

Last updated: 2026-09-07