Four things to do before you board: check the offer with the destination's own authority, know your rights, carry the right papers, and get the practical details in writing.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
A foreigner needs a work permit issued by the ministry before starting work, and working without one is subject to criminal and administrative action. The ministry runs an information and counselling line for work-permit questions.
Information line ALO 170
Last checked 29 September 2026. Links go to official sites we do not control; treat each site as the authority, not this page.
What the government and the ILO publish, in plain words. Laws change: your contract and the official page always win over this summary.
A foreigner who is not already in Türkiye with a residence permit applies for a work visa at the Turkish mission in their country of nationality, which gives them a 16-digit reference number. A foreigner already in Türkiye with at least six months of valid residence permit can apply domestically.
Türkiye Ministry of Labour and Social Security: work permit application types, read 8 October 2026Under Law 6735, an employer must tell the ministry within 15 days when a foreigner starts or stops work, and both employer and worker must meet their social-security duties on time under the social security law. If you applied from abroad, you must start work within one month of entering Türkiye, and in any case within six months of the permit's start date.
Türkiye Ministry of Labour and Social Security: social security for foreign employees (Law 6735, Article 22, and its implementing regulation, Article 25), read 8 October 2026Working without a work permit is fined for both sides. For 2026 the ministry lists TRY 102,503 for each foreigner an employer employs without a permit, and TRY 40,977 for a foreigner who works for an employer without a permit. The amounts are revalued each year, and repeat violations are fined again at an increased rate.
Türkiye Ministry of Labour and Social Security: administrative fines table for 2026, read 8 October 2026The ministry's rule is that pay for a foreigner must be at least the gross minimum wage at the date of the application: the minimum wage for domestic work and most other jobs, twice it for jobs needing expertise, three times for managers, four times for engineers and architects, and five times for senior executives and pilots.
Türkiye Ministry of Labour and Social Security: work permit evaluation criteria, read 8 October 2026An extension of a work permit is tied to the same employer: after one year of legal work it can be granted for up to two years, then up to three years. An application to work for a different employer is treated as a first application. Apply starting 60 days before the permit ends; applying after it ends is treated as a first application too.
Türkiye Ministry of Labour and Social Security: work permit application types, read 8 October 2026The ministry runs the ALO 170 Work Life Contact Center, which takes reports and complaints and has an online form, a live chat and a video line for sign-language users.
Türkiye ALO 170 Work Life Contact Center (Turkish-language site) and the ministry's English homepage, read 8 October 2026Checked against the linked pages on 2026-10-08. This is general information, not legal advice.
Keep your own passport with you. If anyone asks to hold it, do not hand it over before you have checked the rights above and talked to your specialist.
Details such as pickup, housing and how pay reaches you differ by employer and city. We do not guess them for you; ask, and get the answer in a message or document you can show later.
Local practicalities such as phone plans, banking and transport are not covered here because we do not publish anything we have not verified. Your specialist and employer can tell you what applies to your city.
Full pre-departure checklist · Sending money home · When your contract ends · For your family
Choose your language
You can change this anytime from the footer.