Turkish Work Permit Process for Foreign Workers (2026)

The Turkish work permit system in 2026

Since 2016, all foreign worker permits in Turkey are handled under Law No. 6735 (International Labour Force Law) by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The permit is a single document that authorises both work and residence - foreign workers do not need a separate residence permit in parallel. The system is digital and runs through the Ministry's online portal.

For 2026, two trends matter. First, processing times have stabilised at 20-45 working days after document completion, down from the 60-90 days common during the 2022-2023 backlog. Second, the Ministry has tightened enforcement on the quota rule and on companies using tourist-visa workers, so the cheapest-looking routes are now also the riskiest.

Who files the application - employer or worker

In almost all cases in Turkey, the employer files the work permit application, not the worker. This is called a "domestic application" and is submitted while the worker is still abroad (in Pakistan's case, before the worker even applies for a visa). The worker only needs to sign the employment contract and supply personal documents.

There is a parallel "foreign-country application" filed through the Turkish embassy in the worker's country of residence, but it is used mainly for workers already holding a valid residence permit in a third country. For Pakistani workers applying from Pakistan to work in Turkey, the domestic (employer-filed) route is standard.

The main permit types

The law recognises several permit categories. Most Pakistani trade hires fall under the first or second:

• Standard work permit - the default. Issued for 1 year initially, with a specific employer and specific role.
• Work permit for a definite period - same as standard but extendable up to 8 years total with the same employer.
• Independent work permit - for self-employed foreigners. Rare for trades.
• Turquoise card - permanent-style permit for highly qualified professionals. Not applicable to most trade roles.
• Exceptional cases - spouses of Turkish citizens, refugees, etc. Different rules.

Employer-side requirements

To qualify to file a standard work permit, the employing company must generally meet these conditions:

• Be a Turkish legal entity with active trade registry registration.
• Employ at least 5 Turkish citizens on SGK for each foreign worker being sponsored.
• Hold paid-in capital of at least 100,000 TRY, or turnover of at least 800,000 TRY, or exports of at least USD 250,000 in the last year (one of the three).
• Offer the foreign worker a gross monthly salary above defined multiples of the Turkish minimum wage, which vary by role. Skilled tradesmen typically must be paid at least 1.5× the minimum wage.

There are exemptions for companies in Technology Development Zones, Free Zones, R&D Centres, and for certain sectors the Ministry deems to have a structural labour shortage - which increasingly includes several manual trades. A recruitment consultancy will confirm whether exemptions apply in your case.

Document checklist

Documents break into three stacks:

Employer documents

• Trade registry gazette
• Authorised signatory circular
• Tax certificate (vergi levhası)
• Activity certificate (faaliyet belgesi)
• SGK monthly premium statement (last 3 months)
• Balance sheet and profit & loss statement, signed by CPA
• Completed application form (online)

Worker documents

• Colour passport scan (all pages, min. 18 months validity)
• Diploma or trade certificate, translated and notarised
• Passport-size photos
• Employment contract, in Turkish, signed by employer
• CV in Turkish or English

Role-specific documents

• Activity report describing the role in detail
• For regulated trades (engineers, architects, healthcare): equivalency certificate from the relevant Turkish chamber or ministry

Application steps in order

1. Online pre-registration Employer logs into the Ministry portal with e-Devlet credentials, creates the application record, and enters worker details.
2. Upload documents Employer uploads all company and contract documents. Worker documents are uploaded via the employer in the same file.
3. Pay application fee Fee is paid online or at a designated bank. Payment is per worker, per year.
4. Ministry review The Ministry verifies employer quota and capital compliance, checks worker qualifications, and may request additional documents. Average time 20-45 working days.
5. Decision Approval, rejection, or request for more information. Approval is communicated to the employer and to the worker via the Turkish embassy in Islamabad.
6. Visa & entry Worker attends the Turkish embassy in Islamabad with the approval letter and is issued a work visa. Worker must enter Turkey within the validity period of the visa.
7. Permit card collection After entry, the worker collects the physical work permit card from the provincial labour directorate. Within 15 days of entry, the employer registers the worker on SGK.

Realistic review timeline

End to end, 8 to 14 weeks is a realistic planning horizon. Files that stall usually do so because of missing SGK statements, unclear role descriptions, or unsigned/incomplete employment contracts.

Fees and who pays them

Fees break into two pools: Turkish-side (paid by the employer) and Pakistan-side (paid by the employer when using a recruitment agency; never by the worker).

• Ministry application fee - paid per worker per year of permit validity. Reviewed annually.
• Residence permit card fee - one-time, per worker.
• Valuable paper fee - small, for the permit card itself.
• Work visa fee at the Turkish embassy in Islamabad - standard consular fee.
• BE&OE protector fee - Pakistan-side, per worker.
• Medical and police clearance - minor Pakistan-side fees.

For a rough all-in figure, see our cost breakdown guide.

Why applications get rejected

Most rejections come from one of these causes:

• Quota not met. The employer's SGK headcount does not support an additional foreign worker.
• Insufficient capital / turnover. Financial thresholds not demonstrated.
• Salary below threshold. Offered salary is below the multiple of minimum wage required for the role.
• Unclear role definition. The activity report is generic and doesn't convince the reviewer the role needs foreign expertise.
• Expired or low-quality worker documents. Passport near expiry, illegible translations, mismatched names.
• Regulated trade without equivalency. Engineer, architect, or healthcare role without the required Turkish equivalency certificate.

Rejections can be appealed within 30 days. In practice it is usually faster to re-file with corrected documents than to pursue an appeal.

Renewal and extension

The first permit is issued for 1 year. Renewal is possible for up to 2 additional years with the same employer, then up to 3 years per subsequent extension, capping at 8 years total at which point the worker may apply for an independent permit.

Renewal applications are filed from inside Turkey, at least 60 days before the current permit expires, via the same Ministry portal. Documents required are lighter than the initial application, focused on continued eligibility (SGK continuity, salary at threshold, no criminal record).