Work Permit

Work Visa Application Procedure in Turkey

Foreigners residing outside the Turkey are subject to apply for work permit from the representative offices of Turkey in their own countries. Pursuance to work permit application of foreigner, within 10 working days the employer should process both online and direct applications to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Turkey. Once the approval from the Ministry is granted, foreigners are required to apply for work visa to the Turkish representative office within 90 days. Upon their arrival to Turkey with work visa, foreigners are required to apply for Work Registered Residence Permit to the Alien’s Branch of the Local Police Department within 30 days.  Work permit will only takes effect in the existence of valid residence permit.

DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR WORK VISA APPLICATION FROM FOREIGNER

  • Passport (original)
  • Work visa application Form
  • Employment Contract  (also other additional company documents including job offer)
  • One Photo

*Under the discretion of the foreign representatives of Turkey or in accordance with bilateral agreements, some other supporting documents might be demanded for work visa applications.

DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR WORK PERMIT APPLICATIONS IN TURKEY

  • Reference Number given by consulate during the visa application
  • One Photo (Needed in Online application process)
  • Application Form for Foreigner (Needed in Online application process)
  • Employment Contract (signed by foreigner and employer)
  • Passport Copy (Translated to Turkish) (Originals are not necessary)
  • Diploma Copy (Translated to Turkish) (Originals are not necessary)
  • If applicable a letter of recommendation copy (Translated to Turkish)(Originals are not necessary)

WORK VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

In abroad applications, there is two-step application model. Work permits are obtaining through the Turkish Consulates as work visas. Pursuance to the applicant’s application to the Turkish consulate for work visa, within ten working days, the employer should apply for work permit to the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security.   The application procedure is as below;

WORK VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

You may interested : 7 Things to Know Who Will Apply For Work Permit in Turkey

RESIDENCE PERMIT

As per new rules on residence permits, valid working permissions will be used as residence permits. Thus work permit validity requirement of residence permit application within 30 days upon obtaining the work permit (for consulate applications 30 days was starting upon arrival of work permit holders) will be outlawed.  On the other hand the same as work permits, “Work Permit Exemption Certificates” will also be used as residence permits.

APPLICATION FLOWCHART

APPLICATION FLOWCHART

Ata Kurumsal

Ata Institutional Consulting is a leading consultancy company in its field, with expert personnel, with 12 years of experience, providing residence permit, work permit, Turkish citizenship consultancy and corporate consultancy services to foreigners. Ata Instiutional Consultancy

106 Comments

  1. Dear Sir,
    I am from Karachi, Pakistan I am a Software Engineer I got a employment letter from Istanbul company so I had applied on 10 May for my work visa here in Turkey Consulate Karachi, After one week I received my visa reference number by email from Consulate then I gave this reference number to my employer and its about 2 months now
    Can you please tell how much it can be take more? And is it possible if I want to get status of my visa by the ministry of turkey? If you can you please give me the ministry website link too please?
    Thank you 🙂

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      After you received the reference number, it usually takes around 30 working days to finish the procedures but sometimes, due to various circumstances there might be some delays. You should contact your employer as they can check status of the application online or by contacting the Ministry of Labour.

      Kind Regards

  2. Hello
    My company applied for my work permit it has been 2 months. The consultant announced to my company that my file went to ankara for approval .how long will be take to get the answer from the labour ministry? is it true that the process can take 3 months ? thank you

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      Usually the application process takes up to 30 working days but there might be delays up to various circumstances. Your employer can track the application online or by contacting the Ministry.

      Kind Regards

  3. Hello,
    I have an employment opportunity at Gebze location (Free trade zone) in Turkey. All my processes have been completed and I have received work permit card as well. However, due to new immigration process, still I am not allowed to get Visa, Consulate says they are waiting approval from CSGB ministry, once that is done then I can apply for visa. I am waiting for Ministry of Labour (MoL) approval since more than a month now and not sure how long it will take. Could you please let me know how long CSGB ministry will take to give an approval on work permit? Also, not sure what approval they are looking now after issuing work permit card. Anyone else is facing such issue?
    Kindly help me.

    Thanks,
    Keshav

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      Officially work permit application process lasts around 30 working days but it also depends on how many applications is submitted at the time. That is why when sometimes results might come faster, sometimes there are delays as well. The employer can check status of application onlie or by contacting the Ministry of Labour.

      Best Regards,

      Your thoughts are important to us. Are you satisfied with the answers we have given to your questions? Please rate us and leave a comment. Click here

  4. Hi how long will it take before they issue one with his work visa it’s been a month since my employee handed over my references number to the ministry of labour how long should I wait….thank you

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      Due to recent delays in Ministry of Labour, the procedures last a bit longer than usually. The employer can check status of application online or by contacting the Ministry.

      Kind Regards

  5. Dear Sir,

    Is 30 Working days the maximum time for work permit application procedure? or it can take longer too? and also 30 working days are not exactly equal to 30 days right? is it excluding weekends?

    1. Hello,

      Normally the whole procedures takes up to one month, it is not likely to happen that it extends to 30 working days.

      Kind Regards

      Your thoughts are important to us. Are you satisfied with the answers we have given to your questions? Please rate us and leave a comment. Click here

  6. Hello,

    Please, I have a question regarding the last part of the process for work permit: After the 30 days, the Ministry gives the approval and the employee has to go to the Turkish consulate to get his work visa sticker and pay fee. Does the Embassy give this on the same day (the work permit sticker on passport)?

    Thank you very much

  7. which is the website with which we can track the reference number online?

  8. I have a valid residence permit till the end of September. I have been searching for a job in Turkey and I have been accepted by a a couple of companies. I just want to know, with out exiting Turkey, how can I make the procedure for the work permit and which documents are needed?

    Thanks in advance

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      İf your residence permit’s validity was in total at least 6 months, your employer can make the work permit application with no need for you to leave Turkey. You can not submit work permit application by yourself, all of the formalities must be done by the employer. Our company provides services including obtaining work permit, your employer can contact us or visit one of our offices for dtails.

      Kind Regards

  9. Hello dear Sir
    I am a student of Master in Electrical and electronics engineering in Istanbul. I am here from the last one-year bt I got the resident permit after 3 months when I arrived. someone told me I have to complete one year to get a work permit. I am working as an export operation supervisor in a company, they pay me salary minimum than the normal wage. please guide me through how i can get a work permit and work legally

    1. Hello,
      Thank you for your comment.

      You can not apply for work permit by yourself in Turkey, your employer needs to do the application. You are allowed to work in Turkey legally as a Master Degree student. So if your current employer does not agree to give you work permit, we advice you to find another job instead of working illegally.

      Best Regards

    1. Hello,

      To work in Turkey you need work permit. To obtain it, first you need to find a job and only your employer can apply for a work permit, you can not obtain it by yourself. We are not job agency so we can not help you find a job but we can help your employer with work permit application process.

      Thank you and have a good day

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