Turkey — Work (Employer-sponsored work permit (e-İzin))

Main requirements

You need a Turkish employer to sponsor a work permit. From abroad you apply for a work visa at a Turkish mission and receive a 16-digit reference number; in Iran these are the embassy in Tehran and the consulates general in Tabriz, Urmia and Mashhad, and you book through Türkiye's online sticker-visa pre-application system (www.visa.gov.tr). According to the Turkish MFA the employer uploads the documents to the Ministry of Labour's (ÇSGB) e-İzin system within 10 working days; under Law 6735 the ministry decides within 30 days once the file is complete, and missing documents pause the clock. In-country applications are only for people holding a residence permit valid for at least 6 months.

The employer must meet ministry criteria: at least 5 Turkish employees per foreigner (firms with net sales of TRY 50 million+ are exempt for up to 5 foreigners), and paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000 or net sales of TRY 8 million or exports of USD 150,000. Minimum salary (multiples of the gross minimum wage): senior managers and pilots 5x, engineers and architects 4x, other managers 3x, skilled/specialist jobs 2x, other jobs 1x. The 2026 gross minimum wage is TRY 33,030/month, so an engineer needs about TRY 132,000 (about EUR 2,400) per month.

Key exceptions: software, database, mobile, network/security and enterprise-architecture specialists at IT-sector companies are exempt from the employee and capital criteria (up to 2 such foreigners at non-IT firms); R&D centres and technoparks are exempt with Ministry of Industry approval. Since 3 August 2026, in-country applications for foreigners who stayed legally in Türkiye for at least one year in the last three are exempt from both criteria for up to 3 per workplace (foreign permit holders may not outnumber Turkish staff); this does not help applications filed from Iran. Some professions are closed to foreigners, including dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, law, notary, tourist guide and certified accountant (mali müşavir).

Documents

Signed employment contract; passport copy (the permit cannot run past 60 days before passport expiry and passports with under 60 days validity are not accepted); diploma with official Turkish translation; company documents (trade-registry gazette, last-year balance sheet). Engineers and architects with foreign degrees also need YÖK diploma equivalence (denklik); health workers need a Ministry of Health pre-permit and teachers a Ministry of Education or YÖK permit.

Language

The official document list does not include a language certificate, but in practice you must be able to work in English or Turkish, and Turkish greatly improves your job chances.

Costs and proof of funds

2026 work-permit fees: up to one year TRY 12,574.90, one to two years TRY 25,149.80, plus TRY 964 card (valuable paper) fee. For applications from abroad you pay these, plus the visa fee, at the Turkish mission where you applied; unpaid within 30 days means rejection. No personal proof of funds is required for the permit, but you need money for the first months (rent, deposit, living costs until first salary).

Steps and timeline

Find a job and sign a contract; apply for a work visa at the Turkish mission and get a reference number; employer submits documents within 10 working days; ministry review (30 days once the file is complete); pay fees at the mission; collect visa and travel. The work permit replaces the residence permit, and you must register in the address registration system within 20 days of entry.

Notes for Iranian applicants

Iranians need no visa for tourist trips up to 90 days, but you cannot work on visa exemption, and in-country applications require at least 6 months of valid residence, so the main route is applying through a Turkish mission in Iran. The permit is tied to one employer; changing employer means a new application. Small employers often fail the 5-Turkish-employee rule, so target larger firms or IT companies.

After arrival (work while studying, post-study stay, path to permanent residence)

The first permit is up to one year; renewals with the same employer up to 2 years, then up to 3 years. Renew from 60 days before expiry and always before it ends. Spouse and children can get family residence if your income is at least the minimum wage and at least one third of it per family member. After 8 years of legal work permits or with long-term residence you may apply for an indefinite (süresiz) work permit, which is not an automatic right; long-term residence also needs 8 uninterrupted years.