KÜHEYLAN HUKUK
Obtaining a Work Permit for Foreigners in Türkiye: Application, Deadlines and Road Map in Case of Rejection International Labor Law No. 6735, articles 6-12, art. 15, art. 21-23 was prepared based on the legislation in force as of 2026 and official sources dated October 2026.
Foreigners who want to work in Türkiye must obtain a work permit in advance, except for the exemptions and exceptions listed in the law. The permit application is made to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security; The first permit is given for a maximum of one year, the first extension for a maximum of two years, and subsequent extensions for a maximum of three years. Working without permission results in administrative fines for both the foreigner and the employer, and the risk of deportation for the foreigner. Therefore, the process must be planned together by the employer and the employee.
Can a Foreigner Work Without a Work Permit?
No. Article 6/2 of the International Labor Law No. 6735 prohibits foreigners within the scope of the law from working or being employed in Türkiye without a work permit. Foreigners who are stated to be able to work without a work permit in other laws or international agreements to which Türkiye is a party are excluded from this rule (Art. 6/3). In addition, those within the scope of Article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (Blue Card holders) have the right to work.
A valid work permit replaces a residence permit without requiring a separate residence permit (Art. 12/1; 6458 Art. 27). However, the opposite is not true: Except for the refugee or subsidiary protection status, having a residence permit does not give the foreigner the right to work.
What are the Types of Work Permits?
Term work permit Article 10/1-2 For specific employers and workplaces; first permit maximum 1 year
Independent work permit art.10/6-8 Working for oneself and on one's own account; For professions and investors for which special conditions are required by law
Indefinite work permit Article 10/3-4 Those who have a long-term residence permit or a legal work permit for at least 8 years
Work permit exemption Article 13 Certain groups working without permission; exemption certificate is obtained
Indefinite work permit and Turquoise Card are discussed in detail in a separate guide.
By Whom and Where to Apply for a Work Permit?
The application is made directly to the Ministry within the country, and to the Turkish embassy or consulate general in the country where the foreigner is a citizen or legally resides abroad; An authorized intermediary institution can also apply (Art. 7/1-2). If permission is granted as a result of an application from abroad, the foreigner must come to Türkiye within six months from the validity date of the permit; If not, the permission is canceled (Art. 12/2, Art. 15/2-a).
How long does it take for the application to be finalized?
Evaluation of duly submitted applications is completed within thirty days, provided that the information and documents are complete (Art. 7/8). If there are missing documents, the evaluation is postponed; The postponement period cannot exceed 30 days, except for force majeure events documented by the official authority, and the application whose deficiencies are not completed at the end of the period will be rejected (Art. 7/7).
When to apply for extension?
The extension application is made within 60 days until the permit expires and in any case must be made before the period expires. Extension applications made after the period expires are rejected (Art. 7/3).
How Do Work Permit Periods Work?
At the first application, a maximum of one year leave is granted, provided that you work in a specific job in a specific workplace and that it does not exceed the duration of the employment or service contract. For the first extension under the same employer, a maximum of two years may be granted, and for subsequent extensions, a maximum of three years may be granted. An application to work for a different employer is evaluated as the first application (Art. 10/1-2).
Limited company managers who are company partners, joint stock company board members and limited partnership partners can also work by obtaining a work permit (Art. 10/5).
On what grounds is the application rejected?
Applications that do not comply with the international labor policy, Those made with false or misleading information and documents, Those whose justification for the employment of foreigners is not deemed sufficient, Those made for jobs and professions reserved for Turkish citizens by law, Those related to foreigners who are understood to not have the necessary qualifications and expertise, Those that do not meet the evaluation criteria determined by the Ministry, Those related to foreigners reported to be within the scope of Articles 7, 15 and 54 of Law No. 6458, Those that are deemed harmful to public order, security or health, Those that are not made within the legal period or are deficient. incomplete ones.
For jobs requiring professional qualifications in health and education services, it is mandatory to obtain prior permission from the relevant ministry (Ministry of Health or Ministry of National Education); Prior permission from YÖK is required for foreign faculty members (Art. 8).
What is the remedy if a work permit is rejected?
An objection may be made to the Ministry against the decisions taken by the Ministry within the scope of this Law within thirty days from the date of notification; If the objection is rejected, administrative judicial remedy may be resorted to (Art. 21/2). Rejection and cancellation decisions are notified to the employer who employs a foreigner or to a foreigner who has an independent work permit, an indefinite work permit or a Turquoise Card, in accordance with the provisions of the Notification Law (Art. 21/1).
Due to this regulation, the party that actually takes the rejection decision is often the employer. If the employer misses the decision, both the objection and the lawsuit period may be in jeopardy. In terms of the duration of filing a lawsuit in administrative jurisdiction, Article 7 of the IYUK should be observed, and the period of time for filing a lawsuit should be evaluated separately in each file.
In a decision regarding the period of the repealed Law No. 4817 (E.2017/1899, K.2021/5435, 10.11.2021), the 10th Chamber of the Council of State did not find it sufficient to reject the work permit request based solely on the financial situation of the applicant company. The decision concerns repealed legislation; However, the principle that the justification for rejection must be concretely based on the reason in the law still maintains its importance today.
Under what circumstances is a work permit cancelled?
Unless requested by the foreigner or the employer, the permit is canceled in the following cases (Art. 15/2): failure to come to Türkiye within six months from the validity date of the permit, failure to extend the passport period, working against the law, termination of employment for any reason, later understanding that the application was made with false or misleading documents, falling within the scope of Articles 7, 15 and 54 of Law No. 6458, declaring a risk to public order, and other than force majeure, periodic leaves can be from six consecutive months, independent and indefinite. Staying outside Türkiye for more than one year continuously while on leave.
The employer and the foreigner who has an indefinite or independent work permit are obliged to notify the Ministry within fifteen days of the start, termination and cancellation of work (Article 22/1).
What are the sanctions for working without permission?
Administrative fines are imposed on foreigners working without a work permit and employers who employ foreigners; If the act is repeated, the penalty is increased by one (art. 23/5-6). Since the amounts in the law are increased by the revaluation rate every year, the current figure should be determined according to the year in which the penalty decision was made. A foreigner who is found to be working without permission is reported to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for deportation (Art. 23/8). In addition, subparagraph (ğ) of the first paragraph of Article 54 of Law No. 6458 provides for a deportation decision to be taken for employees without a work permit.
The employer must cover the accommodation expenses, repatriation expenses and, if necessary, health expenses of the foreigner who does not have permission and his/her spouse and children, if any (Art. 23/9).
Extension application It starts 60 days before the end of the leave; If done after the deadline, it will be rejected.
Objection To the Ministry within 30 days from the notification (Art.21/2).
Case Summary Form: Fictional example: A Turkish limited company wants to hire an engineer based abroad. The company invites the engineer to Türkiye as a tourist and starts working, and plans to apply for a work permit after he starts working. Process: During the inspection, it is determined that the foreigner is working without permission. Administrative fines are imposed on both the foreigner and the employer, and a deportation process is initiated for the foreigner. The work permit application made later ends negatively due to public order and notification within the scope of Law No. 6458. Conclusion: This situation would not have happened if the application had been made from abroad before starting the job. Getting legal support at the beginning of the process reduces both the cost and the risk of deportation.
Should the employer or the foreigner apply for a work permit?
The text of the law does not specify the applicant separately; accepts that the authorized intermediary institution can also apply. The parties to the application and the documents are determined through the implementation regulations and the Ministry system. In practice, the documents prepared by the employer are the main basis of the file.
Can a work permit and a residence permit be obtained together?
No. A valid work permit replaces a residence permit; a separate residence permit is not required (Art. 12/1).
Is it possible to change employers?
An application to work for a different employer is treated as a first application; Therefore, the change of employer affects the leave duration and evaluation (Art. 10/2).
Can students work?
Foreign students enrolled in formal education programs can work provided that they obtain a work permit. Associate and undergraduate students can apply after completing the first year of education; There is no this limit for graduate students (Art.19).
Can I re-apply for a work permit after being rejected?
There is no general waiting period in the law that prevents this; However, an application made without resolving the rejection reason will lead to the same result. The one-year waiting rule in the repealed Law No. 4817 is not included in the text of Law No. 6735; Regulation and Ministry criteria should also be checked.
Starting a job for a foreigner before his work permit is approved.
Application for extension is made after the end of the permit and the application is rejected outright.
Failure to notify the Ministry of termination of employment or change of workplace within fifteen days.
Even though the rejection decision is notified to the employer, the foreigner is not informed and the thirty-day objection period is passed.
Incomplete submission of qualification documents in fields that require prior permission or special conditions, such as health, education and engineering.
The work permit process is the document and time chain established between the employer, the foreigner and the Ministry. The error often arises from the timing of the application, the order of employment or notification obligations. Küheylan Law Firm manages the preparation of the application file, extension calendar, objection to rejection and cancellation decisions, and administrative judicial processes for employers employing foreigners and foreigners seeking work permits.
Important Legal Notice: The legal explanations contained in this guide have been prepared by Küheylan Law Firm for general information purposes and do not constitute legal advice. The unique conditions of each file may change the outcome. In order not to miss the application, objection and lawsuit deadlines, it is recommended to get legal support from a lawyer before the process begins. © 2026 Küheylan Law Firm. All rights reserved.
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