Work permit applications generally start with foreigners applying for a work permit and visa at the relevant Turkish Republic foreign representations. However, foreigners in Turkey with a valid residence permit of at least 6 months can make their work permit application as a domestic application.
Work permits are issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, by rule. However, work permits for foreigners who will work in Free Zones are issued by the Ministry of Economy, and for academic staff who will work at the Higher Education Institution, they are issued by the Higher Education Council.
According to Article 7 of the International Labor Law, work permit applications can be made by the foreigner personally or through an authorized intermediary institution. The work permit application is evaluated according to the international labor policy.
Work permit applications to the Relevant Ministry are made in 2 ways: from within the country and from abroad;
- Domestic Application: Foreigners who are in Turkey with a residence permit valid for at least six months can have their work permit application made by the relevant employer from within the country. Therefore, foreigners meeting these criteria have the opportunity to complete their applications without having to leave the country.
- Overseas Application: An overseas work permit application is made at the Turkish Republic embassies or consulates in the country where the foreigner is a citizen or legally resides. Work permit applications made abroad are forwarded to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security by the embassies or consulates of the Turkish Republic. The ministry is the final decision authority.
According to Article 7 of the UİK (International Labor Force Law); if there are missing information or documents in the application, the evaluation of the application will be postponed until these deficiencies are rectified. The postponement period cannot exceed thirty days, except in cases where the completion of missing information or documents is delayed due to a force majeure, which must be documented by an official authority. Applications that have not remedied their deficiencies by the end of the postponement period will be rejected.
For work permit applications made from abroad, individuals whose applications are approved and granted a work permit must come to Turkey within six months from the start date of the permit. According to Article 12 of the International Labor Law, the work permit of a foreigner who does not come to Turkey within this period will be canceled.
For detailed information on the procedures for applying for a work permit from inside and outside the country, you can refer to our article titled “What are the Work Permit Application Procedures?“
