Introduction
Türkiye introduces significant amendments to the criteria applied to work permit procedures for foreigners. The present article will provide an updated observation on the new changes. While analyzing the current situation, the present work will underline the applicability of the existing rules together with the newly introduced exceptions and their practical implications.
The amendments should not be interpreted as establishing a general exemption from the requirement to obtain a work permit. Rather, they introduce specific exceptions from certain work permit evaluation criteria where the conditions prescribed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security are satisfied.
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Legal Framework Applicable to Work Permit Requirements in Türkiye
It should be outlined at the beginning that the principal legal framework governing foreign work permits is regulated under the Law on International Labour Force No. 6735 [6735 sayılı Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu in Turkish].
The principal secondary legislation is the Regulation on the Implementation of the International Labour Force Law, published in the Official Gazette dated 2 February 2022 and numbered 31738.
In addition to the Law and the Regulation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security publishes and periodically updates the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria [çalışma izni değerlendirme kriterleri in Turkish], which establish the principal employment, financial eligibility, salary and sector-specific criteria applicable to the administrative assessment of work permit applications.
For a detailed analysis of work permit procedures you can benefit from our article: How to Get a Work Permit in Turkey: The Complete 2025 – 2026 Guide
The Special Mission of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has a critical mission to ensure occupational peace and order and an effective social security system by prioritising the health, safety and well-being of employees; to establish and oversee an effective national and international labour market that supports full employment; to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish community abroad in the fields of employment and social security; and to develop and implement data-driven policies concerning working life.
With the intention of pursuing those aims and within the scope of its authority concerning international labour force policy, the Ministry periodically reviews and updates the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria. In this context, the relevant amendments examined in this article became effective as of 3 August 2026.
What Is New for Employment Requirements on Work Permit
Türkiye has introduced important changes to the criteria applied to work permit applications for foreign nationals, creating new opportunities for certain foreigners who have already been legally residing in the country.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, as part of its mission, publishes and periodically updates the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria [çalışma izni değerlendirme kriterleri in Turkish] with a view to ensuring transparent and objective standards in the evaluation of work permit applications.
In this context, the general evaluation criterion requiring the employment of five Turkish citizens for each foreign employee, together with the applicable financial eligibility criteria, may not apply under certain conditions.
As a general rule, for workplaces subject to the balance-sheet basis, at least five Turkish citizens must be employed at the workplace for each foreign national for whom a work permit is sought. Under the financial eligibility criteria, a newly established workplace subject to the balance-sheet basis must have paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000. For an operating workplace that has prepared at least one year-end balance sheet and annual income statement, the financial eligibility criterion may be satisfied by paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000, net sales of at least TRY 8,000,000, or exports of at least USD 150,000.
Indeed, under Section A.4.1 on the Exception to the Employment and Financial Eligibility Criteria, in the assessment of domestic work permit applications submitted on behalf of foreigners who, as of the date of the work permit application, have legally remained in Türkiye for at least one year within the preceding three years on the basis of a work permit, residence permit, or international protection status, the employment and financial eligibility criteria shall, in principle, not be applied, provided that this exception is limited to a maximum of three foreigners falling within this scope.
It should be emphasised that this provision constitutes an exception from specific evaluation criteria and does not itself amount to an exemption from the work permit requirement. The foreign employee and the employer therefore remain subject to the other substantive and procedural requirements applicable to the work permit application.
Critical Exceptions for Work Permit
The general employment criterion applicable to workplaces subject to the balance-sheet basis requires an employer to employ at least five Turkish citizens for each foreign employee for whom a work permit is sought. The updated criteria bring a significant exception where a foreign national has legally remained in Türkiye for at least one year during the preceding three years on the basis of a:
- work permit,
- residence permit, or
- international protection status.
In such circumstances, the employment and financial eligibility criteria shall, in principle, not be applied to the relevant in-country work permit application.
This exception may be applicable for up to three foreign employees falling within this scope at the same workplace.
There are two further conditions. First, in workplaces falling within the scope of this exception, the number of foreigners employed under a work permit shall, in principle, not exceed the number of Turkish citizens employed at the same workplace.
Second, without prejudice to the relevant legislative provisions applicable to foreigners under international protection, where more than three foreigners satisfying the conditions set out above are to be employed at the same workplace, the assessment of work permit applications submitted on behalf of the fourth and subsequent foreign employees shall, in principle, require the employment of five Turkish citizens separately for each foreign employee working at the workplace, together with compliance with the applicable financial eligibility criterion.
Accordingly, the new rule should not be understood as abolishing the general five-Turkish-citizen employment criterion. It creates a limited exception for qualifying foreigners and qualifying in-country applications, subject to the numerical and other conditions expressly established under the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria.
Student Residence Permit is Covered by the Exemption for Foreigners with at Least Eight Years of Legal Residence in Türkiye
Under the revised Work Permit Evaluation Criteria, foreigners who have remained in Türkiye for at least eight years under a work permit, short-term residence permit, family residence permit, long-term residence permit, humanitarian residence permit, residence permit for victims of human trafficking, or student residence permit are, in principle, exempt from the employment, financial eligibility and salary criteria applicable to work permit applications.
The express inclusion of the student residence permit is particularly important for foreigners who have maintained a long-term lawful presence in Türkiye through their education. Accordingly, periods falling within the qualifying permit categories expressly listed in the Evaluation Criteria may be relevant for establishing the eight-year requirement.
Eight years of qualifying lawful stay does not create a full exemption from the work permit regime. Rather, it provides an exemption only from three specific evaluation criteria: the employment criterion, financial eligibility criterion and salary criterion. The foreigner remains subject to the requirement to obtain a work permit and must continue to satisfy all other applicable legal, procedural and, where relevant, sector-specific requirements.
Furthermore, being within the scope of this exception does not create an absolute legal right to the issuance of a work permit. The relevant status must be substantiated by documents issued by competent public institutions and authorities, and the work permit application remains subject to the administrative assessment of the competent authority in accordance with the applicable legislation and Türkiye’s international labour force policy.
Conclusion
Having regard to the above, very important revisions have been made by the national authorities in Türkiye regarding the evaluation criteria applicable to work permit applications.
For qualifying in-country work permit applications, the employment and financial eligibility criteria shall, in principle, not be applied to a maximum of three foreigners who have legally remained in Türkiye for at least one year within the three years preceding the work permit application on the basis of a work permit, residence permit or international protection status, subject to the other conditions prescribed under the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria.
When it comes to foreigners who have remained in Türkiye for at least eight years under one or more of the qualifying permits expressly recognised under the Work Permit Evaluation Criteria, including a student residence permit, the employment, financial eligibility and salary criteria shall, in principle, not be applied. This does not constitute a full exemption from the work permit regime and does not remove the obligation to obtain a work permit or to comply with the other applicable legal and procedural requirements.
The 2026 changes may significantly improve the feasibility of obtaining a Turkish work permit for foreigners who have already established a qualifying period of lawful presence in Türkiye. Nevertheless, the applicability of each exception should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the foreigner’s legal status, the nature of the application, the conditions of the employer and any sector-specific requirements applicable to the proposed employment.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
