When you hire a foreign national in Turkey, your company files the work permit application, not the employee. A Turkish work permit for employers is submitted online through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and the sponsoring company carries most of the legal conditions the application has to meet. The worker provides personal documents, but the burden of proving eligibility sits with you as the employer.
This guide explains who can sponsor a foreign worker, what your company must show, the documents to prepare, the step-by-step process, the usual timeline and the official fees, all from the employer’s side. The figures and rules below are current as of the time this article is written. Because labour and immigration rules change, confirm the exact details with a lawyer before you act.
What a Turkish Work Permit for Employers Means
A Turkish work permit for employers is the authorisation a company obtains so that a foreign national can work legally for it in Turkey. It is issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı), and it ties the foreign employee to one specific company and role. Under current rules the permit also serves as the worker’s residence permit for the same period, so a sponsored employee usually does not need a separate residence document.
The application is employer-led by design. The company registers on the Ministry’s e-government system, files the request, uploads the supporting file and answers any queries. If the worker is abroad, the process starts with a work visa at a Turkish consulate, and the employer files the matching application inside Turkey within a set window. Hiring foreign workers in Turkey without this authorisation exposes both sides to administrative fines, and the worker can be required to leave the country.
Which Companies Can Sponsor a Work Permit?
Not every business can sponsor a foreign worker, and this is where many applications fail before they begin. To act as a sponsor, your company generally has to be genuinely trading, properly registered, and able to show that the role justifies bringing in a foreign national rather than hiring locally.
The commonly cited conditions for a sponsoring company, current as of the time this article is written, include the following:
- a minimum paid-up capital of around 100,000 Turkish lira, or a comparable level of gross sales or exports;
- employment of at least five Turkish citizens for each foreign worker at the same workplace;
- a salary offer that fits the role, measured against multiples of the gross minimum wage;
- a clear business reason for the position being filled by a foreign national.
The five-to-one ratio is the condition employers underestimate most often. For the first foreign hire, the five Turkish employees usually need to be in place at the time of application. Exemptions exist for certain company structures, foreign-owned firms in their first six months, and specific roles, so the rule is not absolute. Whether your company already meets these Turkish work permit employer requirements is worth checking before you make a job offer.
Turkish Work Permit Employer Requirements in Detail
The Turkish work permit employer requirements split into conditions on the company and duties toward the worker. Most refusals trace back to the company side, which is why preparing this part well matters more than rushing the filing.
Conditions on the company
Your company must be up to date with its tax and social security obligations, hold the required capital or turnover, and meet the Turkish-employee ratio. The declared salary has to be realistic for the position. A senior specialist role paid at the bare minimum wage tends to draw questions, because the salary is read as a signal of whether the job genuinely needs a foreign professional.
Duties toward the worker
Once the permit is granted, the employer must register the foreign worker with the Social Security Institution, pay the premiums, and keep the actual job and pay consistent with what was declared. If the employment ends, you generally have to notify the authorities, and the permit tied to that job can lapse. A different role or a different company normally means a fresh application rather than a transfer.
Documents the Employer Must Prepare
Hiring foreign workers in Turkey runs on paperwork, and the employer supplies the larger share of it. The company file typically includes:
- a signed employment contract or written job offer stating the role, duties and salary;
- the company’s trade registry record and a recent activity certificate;
- the latest balance sheet and profit-and-loss statement, often certified;
- the tax registration certificate and proof of no overdue debts;
- a signed application petition and the authorised signatory list.
The worker supplies a valid passport, a diploma or qualification where the role needs one, biometric photographs and, for applicants abroad, the work visa reference number from the consulate. Documents issued outside Turkey usually need notarisation, an apostille and certified Turkish translation. In our practice at Karanfiloglu Law Firm, the most common cause of delay we see is not a missing worker document but an out-of-date or uncertified company financial statement.
How to Apply for a Turkish Work Permit, Step by Step
Knowing how to apply for a Turkish work permit as an employer is mainly about following the right order, because the worker and the company file connected applications. The steps differ depending on whether the worker is abroad or already holds a residence permit inside Turkey.
When the worker is abroad
- Agree the role and sign a written job offer or employment contract with the foreign national.
- The worker applies for a work visa at the Turkish consulate in their country of residence and receives a reference number.
- Within the window set after that consulate application, usually around ten working days, the company files the matching application online with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and uploads the full document file.
- The Ministry reviews the company and worker files together and issues a decision.
- Once approved, the worker collects the work visa, enters Turkey, and registers so the permit and residence rights take effect.
When the worker is already in Turkey
- Confirm the worker holds a valid residence permit that allows an in-country application.
- The company submits the application directly to the Ministry online with the supporting documents.
- The Ministry assesses the file and issues its decision.
- On approval, the permit card is produced and delivered.
In both routes the company, not the worker, submits the main application inside Turkey. Whether an in-country application is open in your case depends on the worker’s current status and how long they have held it; a lawyer can assess that in a short consultation before you commit to a start date.
Who Does What: Employer and Worker at a Glance
The Turkish work permit application process divides clearly between the two sides. This table sets out the split.
| Step | Employer | Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Job offer | Prepares and signs the contract | Signs and accepts |
| Work visa (if abroad) | Provides supporting letter | Applies at the consulate |
| Main filing | Files online with the Ministry | Supplies personal documents |
| Social security | Registers and pays premiums | Is registered by the employer |
| After approval | Keeps role and pay as declared | Starts work legally |
Turkish Work Permit for Employers: Timeline and Fees
A Turkish work permit for employers usually receives a decision within about thirty days once the Ministry has the full file. Incomplete files, extra checks or missing translations extend the Turkish work permit application process, sometimes well beyond a month. Build in time for gathering, notarising, apostilling and translating documents, because those steps often take longer than the Ministry’s own review.
The official costs generally include a work permit fee and a card fee, both set by the state and revised each year. Workers applying from abroad also pay consular charges for the work visa. Treat any figure you read online as indicative only, since the tariffs are updated annually. Clients we advise in Istanbul often ask us to confirm the current amounts before they budget for a hire, because the published fees move each January.
Common Mistakes Employers Make
A handful of avoidable errors sink or delay most employer applications. Watch for these:
- Ignoring the five-to-one ratio. Filing before you employ enough Turkish citizens is the classic refusal. Check the headcount first, or confirm whether an exemption applies.
- Understating the salary. A salary that does not match the seniority of the role invites questions and can lead to rejection. Match the pay to the position.
- Stale financial documents. An old balance sheet or an uncertified statement is a frequent cause of delay. Use current, properly certified figures.
- Missing the consulate window. When the worker is abroad, the employer has a short period after the consulate step to file inside Turkey. Miss it and the process restarts.
- Treating a job change as a transfer. A permit is tied to one company and role. Moving the worker to a new position or entity usually means a new application.
Knowing how to apply for a Turkish work permit is only half the task; avoiding these mistakes is what keeps a file moving. This is the point where employers most often benefit from a short legal review before filing.
Summary
A Turkish work permit for employers is an employer-led process that runs through your company and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, with the permit itself usually doubling as the worker’s residence permit. Meeting the Turkish work permit employer requirements, preparing certified company and worker documents, and following the right filing order are what keep an application on track. Because the ratios, capital thresholds and official fees change, a short consultation before you make a job offer can save weeks of delay when hiring foreign workers in Turkey.
Talk to a Lawyer in Istanbul
If you would like advice on your own situation, Karanfiloglu Law Firm is a registered law office in Istanbul serving foreigners and Turkish clients across Turkey. You can reach us by phone or WhatsApp at +90 532 659 35 11, by email at [email protected], or visit us at Mecidiyeköy Mah. Büyükdere Cad. No:67-71, Alba İş Merkezi, Kat:8, Şişli, İstanbul. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who applies for a Turkish work permit, the employer or the worker?
The employer applies. A Turkish work permit for employers is filed online by the sponsoring company through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The worker supplies personal documents and, if abroad, first applies for a work visa at a Turkish consulate before the employer files the matching application inside Turkey.
How long does a Turkish work permit application take?
Most complete applications receive a decision within about thirty days of the Ministry receiving the full file. Preparing, notarising, apostilling and translating documents often takes longer than the review, so allow extra time before the intended start date.
What are the main Turkish work permit employer requirements?
The main Turkish work permit employer requirements are a genuinely trading, registered company, sufficient capital or turnover, employment of about five Turkish citizens per foreign worker, a realistic salary for the role, and a clear reason for hiring a foreign national. Exemptions apply to some company types.
How many Turkish employees must a company have to hire a foreigner?
As a general rule, a company needs at least five Turkish citizens employed at the same workplace for each foreign worker it sponsors, current as of the time this article is written. Certain foreign-owned companies and specific roles are exempt, so confirm your position before applying.
Can an employer transfer a work permit to a new job?
No. A work permit is tied to one company and one role, so moving the worker to a new position or a different employer normally requires a fresh application. The permit linked to the old job can lapse once that employment ends.
Does the employer pay the work permit fees?
The official work permit and card fees are usually paid as part of the application, and in practice the employer commonly covers them, though this depends on the agreement with the worker. Consular work visa charges for applicants abroad are separate and set by the consulate.
What happens if a company hires a foreigner without a permit?
Hiring foreign workers in Turkey without a permit exposes the company to administrative fines per worker, and repeat breaches raise the penalties. The foreign worker can also be fined and required to leave the country, so securing the permit before work begins is the only safe course.
About the Author
Kaan Karanfiloğlu is the founder of Karanfiloglu Law Firm, an Istanbul-based registered law office serving Turkish and international clients across Turkey. He is a lawyer registered with the Istanbul Bar Association (Reg. No. 58270) and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (No. 133074), and has practised law in Turkey since 2017. He holds an LL.B. from Galatasaray University Faculty of Law (2016) and advises clients in Turkish, English and French; the firm also serves clients in Russian and Chinese with experienced in-office translators.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Turkish law and is not legal advice. Laws, regulations, official fees and procedures change over time and every situation is different. For advice on your specific circumstances, please consult a qualified lawyer. No liability is accepted for any loss arising from reliance on the information in this article.
