Required Documents for Work Permit Applications in Turkey and Sector-Specific Requirements

The documents required for work permit applications in Turkey vary depending on the foreigner's field of activity, the sector in which the employer operates, and the nature of the application. While an employment contract, passport, diploma, corporate documents, and financial records are generally requested, additional permits and qualification documents may also be required in sectors such as healthcare, education, tourism, entertainment, aviation, engineering, and direct foreign investments. As Uzunpınar & Tüfek Law Firm, in this article, we discuss in detail the required documents for work permit applications in Turkey, sector-specific requirements, and legal considerations to keep in mind during the application process.

What Are the Documents Required for Work Permit Applications?

The required documents shall be submitted online through the e-Permit automation system.

Employment Contract: Signed by both the employer and the foreign national.

Copy of Passport: (If the passport is not written in the Latin alphabet, a translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities must also be added to the application.) (This document will be scanned and sent online during the electronic application.) Important Note: In accordance with Article 23 of Law No. 6458, work permits issued to foreign nationals whose requests are deemed appropriate by the Ministry are prepared not to exceed sixty days prior to the passport's expiration date. Additionally, work permit applications made with passports or passport substitute documents valid for less than sixty days as of the application date will not be processed.

Copy of Diploma or Temporary Graduation Certificate: Turkish translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities. (This document will be scanned and sent online during the electronic application.) A diploma is mandatory for foreigners working within professional services and in occupations deemed necessary by the Ministry. A diploma is not mandatory for domestic services; a declaration regarding the last school graduated from is sufficient.

Turkish Trade Registry Gazette: Showing the latest capital and shareholding structure of the organization.

Balance Sheet and Profit/Loss Statement: For the last year, approved by the tax office or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Preliminary Permit Certificate: A document showing the foreigner's professional competence obtained from the Ministry of National Education for foreign nationals who will work in private educational institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education.

Permit Documents for Private Educational Institutions: "Permit to Open an Institution and Start Instruction" and "License" obtained from the Ministry of National Education for private educational institutions that will employ foreigners.

 

Sector-Specific Requirements

 

Domestic Services: Work permits are not issued to foreigners in domestic services, except for elderly, sick, and child care.

 

Healthcare Sector:

Preliminary Permit Certificate: Showing the foreigner's professional competence, obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health in the province where the health institution is located, for foreign healthcare professionals who will serve in private healthcare institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Health.

Operating Permit Certificate: Obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health for private healthcare institutions that will employ foreigners.

Tourism Sector: An Operation and Investment Certificate obtained from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for foreigners to be employed in workplaces holding a tourism operation certificate; if it is not a certified enterprise, an Activity Certificate obtained from the Chamber of Commerce.

 

Entertainment Sector:

 

Certificate of Service / Work History (Bonservis): Turkish translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities. (The certificate of service showing that the foreign national requesting a work permit has an international reputation as an artist or has worked by performing programs in foreign enterprises of the same level must carry an Apostille annotation according to the 1961 Hague Convention or a Foreign Representative Approval annotation.) (This document will be scanned and sent online during the electronic application.) 

Employment Contract: Prepared in both Turkish and the foreigner's native language (The employment contract containing wet signatures of the employer and the foreigner will be scanned and sent online during the electronic application).

Operation Certificate: Obtained from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Mandatory Clauses to be Included in Employment Contracts with Foreign Artists:

A provision stating that upon completion of their working period, foreign artists' return tickets and travel expenses will be covered and guaranteed by the employer.

A commitment that the gross wage cannot be less than three times the minimum wage (which changes every six months).

Workplace tax identification number.

In addition to employee rights, contact numbers for consultation when needed: 155 Police Emergency, 157 Helpline for Victims of Human Trafficking, Alo 170 Hotline, and the contact phone numbers of the Ministry's Provincial Directorates of the Labor and Employment Agency.

 

Aviation Sector:

 

Pilot License: Turkish translation certified by a sworn translator or official authorities for foreign pilots to be employed in workplaces operating in the aviation sector.

Validation Certificate: The work permit to be issued by the Ministry gains validity along with a Validation Certificate obtained from the Ministry of Transport, General Directorate of Civil Aviation, which renders the licenses of foreign pilots valid in Turkey.

Engineers and Architects:

Equivalence Certificate: For foreigners seeking a work permit as an engineer/architect within professional services who received higher education abroad, a "Diploma or Temporary Graduation Equivalence Certificate" obtained in accordance with the Regulation on Equivalence of Foreign Higher Education Diplomas under Articles 3 and 7/p of Law No. 2547.

Payroll Records: Payroll proof showing that Turkish personnel are employed in the same profession within legal entities that will employ foreign experts as engineers/architects/city planners.

Companies and Branches Operating Within the Scope of Exceptional Foreign Direct Investments: Applications for foreign nationals to be employed in companies and branches that meet at least one of the exceptional foreign direct investment criteria set forth in Article 10/a of the Regulation on Employment of Foreign Personnel in Foreign Direct Investments will be made according to the procedures and principles specified below.

Documents showing that the organization's export amount for the last year is at least 1 million USD (documents such as bank receipts, bank letter, copy of foreign currency purchase certificate, company-approved income statement regarding the export amount).

Required Documents for Key Personnel to Serve in Institutions Meeting at Least One of the Above Criteria:

 

For positions such as Company Partner, Chairman of the Board, Board Member, General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Company Director, Deputy Company Director, etc. (documents such as Signature Circular, copy of the Board of Directors or Shareholders' Assembly Resolution).

For experts possessing knowledge essential to the organization's services, research equipment, techniques, or management: certificate of service and its translation, copy of diploma and its translation, as well as other documents/information and their translations related to the area in which such personnel will be employed (e.g., bank receipt approved by the relevant bank showing exports on a country-by-country basis for export staff, bank letter, copy of foreign exchange purchase certificate, etc.).

Assignment letter indicating that the key personnel to be employed has been assigned by the parent company abroad.

 

Liaison Offices:

Activity Permit: Obtained from the Ministry of Economy for foreigners to be employed in liaison offices; this document will be scanned and sent online during the electronic application.

Proof of Foreign Funds: Documents showing that at least 200,000 USD or equivalent foreign currency has been brought into Turkey from abroad within the last year for liaison offices (documents such as authorization certificate for the office authority and bank receipt related to the foreign exchange transfer, bank letter, copy of foreign exchange purchase certificate).