Work Permits in Türkiye for Foreign Employees, Managers and Company Partners: 2026 Legal Guide
A recurring mistake in foreign investment is to treat company incorporation, residence permission and work authorisation as the same thing. They are not.
A foreigner may own shares in a Turkish company but still require a work permit to actively work in the business. Likewise, a residence permit does not automatically authorise employment.
1. What does a Turkish work permit do?
A valid work permit generally gives the foreigner the right to work and reside in Türkiye for the permitted activity and period.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security administers the work-permit framework through the electronic E-Permit system.
Working without the required permit can lead to administrative consequences for both the foreigner and employer.
2. Main types of work permits
The framework includes:
- temporary / definite-term work permits;
- permanent work permits for qualifying applicants;
- independent work permits; and
- the Turquoise Card regime for qualifying high-value applicants.
For an ordinary first employment application, the initial temporary permit is generally issued for a maximum of one year, subject to the employment/service period and approved workplace/position.
3. Domestic and overseas applications
A work-permit application may be initiated from Türkiye or from abroad depending on the applicant’s status.
Official guidance provides that a domestic application generally requires the foreigner to hold a qualifying residence permit of at least six months, subject to statutory and administrative exceptions.
Overseas applications generally begin through the relevant Turkish diplomatic/consular mission, after which the employer completes the electronic process in Türkiye.
4. General employer criteria in 2026
Current Ministry evaluation criteria include employment, financial and salary requirements.
Among the general criteria currently published:
- for many balance-sheet workplaces, the general rule is at least five Turkish citizens for each foreign worker;
- a newly established qualifying workplace generally requires paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000 for the relevant work-permit assessment;
- an existing balance-sheet workplace may satisfy financial eligibility through specified paid-in capital, net sales or export thresholds; and
- remuneration must meet position-based multiples of the current gross minimum wage for certain categories.
Exceptions apply in specified cases, so the criteria should not be read in isolation.
5. Special criteria for foreign company partners
A foreign investor who opens a business or becomes a partner in an existing company should examine the separate company-partner criteria.
Current official criteria provide, for relevant balance-sheet businesses, requirements including:
- minimum paid-up capital at company level;
- a minimum capital amount attributable to the foreign partner;
- a minimum 20% shareholding in the relevant standard case; and
- an employment condition that becomes relevant from the specified point in the permit period.
Current rules also provide an exception from those particular company-partner criteria for foreign partners whose capital share reaches USD 100,000 or more, subject to the full applicable framework.
These are administrative evaluation criteria and can change. A foreign investor should verify them at filing.
6. Recent 2026 exception for certain legally resident foreigners
The Ministry’s current published criteria include an exception, effective from August 2026, under which employment and financial-eligibility criteria may not apply to a limited number of qualifying foreigners who have legally remained in Türkiye for the specified period during the preceding years, subject to the stated conditions.
This does not mean a permit is automatic. The application is still evaluated under the broader work-permit regime.
7. Managers and senior executives
Salary criteria differ according to role. Current official criteria use higher minimum-wage multiples for senior executives, pilots, engineers, architects and other managers.
Job title should therefore reflect the actual role. A title chosen only to fit a form can create inconsistency with company records, payroll and the foreigner’s actual functions.
8. Documents and corporate consistency
A work-permit file commonly requires:
- employment/service documentation;
- passport;
- photo;
- corporate registry information;
- balance-sheet or financial evidence where applicable;
- diploma/professional documents for certain roles; and
- supporting evidence for any claimed exemption.
The company’s trade-registry records, signature powers, payroll and the work-permit application should tell the same legal story.
9. Common mistakes
Foreign companies often create avoidable risk by:
- allowing the foreign manager to start work before approval;
- assuming share ownership is enough;
- ignoring the five-employee rule or applicable exception;
- using an inconsistent job title;
- failing to meet the relevant salary threshold;
- applying domestically without checking residence eligibility;
- overlooking expiry and renewal timing; or
- forming the company with insufficient capital for the intended work-permit plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does owning a Turkish LLC give me the right to work?
No. Ownership and work authorisation are separate legal issues.
Does a residence permit allow employment?
Not by itself. A work permit or applicable exemption is generally required.
Is the five-Turkish-employee rule absolute?
No. The Ministry publishes exceptions and special rules for specified applicants and businesses.
Can a foreign company partner obtain a work permit?
Yes, subject to the applicable company-partner criteria and evaluation.
Do criteria change?
Yes. The Ministry updates evaluation criteria, thresholds and exceptions. The current version should be checked immediately before filing.
Official references
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Directorate General of International Labour Force — Work Permit Evaluation Criteria
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security — E-Permit application guidance
- International Labour Force Law No. 6735