Working Legally in Türkiye: Work Permits, Exemptions and the Turquoise Card (2026)

Visa, residence and permission to work are different concepts

A work visa is part of the entry route used for an application started abroad. The legal right to perform the job comes from the work permit issued by the Ministry, or from a valid work-permit exemption. A tourist or business visa and an ordinary residence permit do not replace that authorization.

A valid permit, and many exemption documents, generally also count as residence authorization subject to statutory exceptions. Passport validity, address registration, entry deadlines and the foreign national's protection or immigration status still need separate checks.

The main routes

Domestic and overseas applications

For an overseas application, the foreign national starts at the Turkish mission in the country of nationality or lawful residence. The employer then completes the electronic filing using the reference details. Fees, entry into Türkiye and the employment start notification must be tracked after approval.

A domestic application generally requires a qualifying residence permit valid for at least six months at the filing date, subject to special rules for protection and other statuses. The employer should have its e-signature, registered electronic mail account, employment agreement, job description and corporate records ready before the filing window opens.

Application file and a realistic timeline

The Ministry states that duly completed applications are generally evaluated within 30 days, counted from completion of the file or delivery of requested information. This is not a fixed end-to-end promise covering consular preparation, legalization, fees, entry and the employment start process.

Employer assessment is more than a headcount test

For balance-sheet businesses, the general criteria include at least five Turkish employees for each foreign worker, financial-capacity thresholds and a salary floor linked to the role. The 2026 published criteria contain specific exceptions, including certain IT positions and businesses meeting stated turnover conditions.

The foreign national's qualifications, the job description, salary, industry and employer organization should tell one coherent story. Inflating a title merely to fit a category can create inconsistencies in the application, payroll and later inspection record.

Special rules for a foreign shareholder

A shareholder who will actually work in the business needs a separate work-permit analysis. The current general criteria require, among other things, paid-in company capital of at least TRY 500,000, the foreign shareholder's own capital contribution of at least TRY 500,000 and a share of at least 20%. The Ministry states that the relevant capital and employment criteria do not apply where the shareholder's capital share is USD 100,000 or more.

The five-Turkish-employee condition is annotated for the first permit and is expected to be met monthly from the beginning of the seventh month. Meeting numerical thresholds is not a guarantee; the application remains subject to substantive assessment.

When an exemption may apply

The regulations list defined activities such as certain scientific, cultural, installation, training, sport and cross-border service assignments. Each category has its own scope and maximum duration. The work actually performed matters more than the project title used in a letter.

An exemption application and document may still be required, repeat-use restrictions can apply, and social-security obligations must be checked. If the assignment exceeds the permitted activity or time, a regular work permit is required.

Turquoise Card: manage the three-year transition period

The Turquoise Card begins with a three-year transition period. The Ministry may request evidence about the holder's activity or investment during that period. An application to remove the transition notation must be made from 180 days before expiry and, in all cases, before the period expires; a late application makes the card invalid.

The holder's spouse and dependent children may receive a document showing the relationship that substitutes for residence authorization. That family document is not an automatic right to work: any family member who will work needs the appropriate permit or exemption in their own status.

Post-approval payroll controls

• Align the social-security start notice with the authorized commencement date.
• Keep pay at or above the amount committed in the permit application and the current role-based floor.
• Review treaty certificates for temporary assignments from countries with a social-security agreement.
• Calendar renewal, employer or role changes and termination notifications.
• Assess tax residence and cross-border payroll where remuneration is paid from more than one country.

Refusal, administrative objection and re-application

A refusal, cancellation or termination decision can be challenged online within 30 days after notification. An effective objection addresses the stated ground—such as pay, duties, staffing, capital or missing evidence—rather than uploading the same file again.

If the objection is rejected, administrative judicial review remains available. A fresh application can also be made after the defect is remedied, but work must not begin until a valid permit or exemption exists.