Work Permit Workflow

Overview

Work permits allow foreign nationals to work legally in Türkiye. The process involves both the employer (Turkish entity) and the candidate (foreign employee), making it a three-party workflow: Ikamet, Employer, Candidate.

Permit types

Type	Notes
Standard work permit	Standard employment; employer-sponsored
Independent work permit	Self-employed; requires residency qualification
Turquoise Card work authorization	Bundled with Turquoise Card (see separate workflow)
Intern/Trainee permit	Limited duration; student-linked

Involved parties

Employer — Turkish-registered company sponsoring the applicant
Candidate — The foreign national applying for the permit
Ikamet — Coordinating the process, chasing documentation, filing

Required documents — Employer

Company trade registry extract (güncel ticaret sicil gazetesi)
Tax certificate
Social security registration document
Last year’s corporate tax declaration
Balance sheet and income statement
Employer declaration form (ÇSGB format)

Required documents — Candidate

Valid passport
Diploma / qualification documents (apostilled and translated)
CV
Employment contract (signed by both parties)
Biometric photos

Workflow stages

PENDING
  → AWAITING_DOCUMENTS        Collecting from both employer and candidate
  → SUBMITTED                  Filed via e-Government (e-Devlet)
  → UNDER_REVIEW               Ministry of Labour processing
  → AWAITING_EMPLOYER          Employer action required mid-process
  → AWAITING_CANDIDATE         Candidate action required (visa, entry)
  → APPROVED                   Ministry approval issued
  → ISSUED                     Work permit card / document issued
  → ACTIVE                     Valid and in use
  → RENEWAL_DUE                Approaching expiry
  → COMPLETED

Key SLAs

Stage	Typical duration
Document collection	1–2 weeks
Ministry processing	30–90 days
Post-approval steps	2–4 weeks

Employer quota rule

Employers must demonstrate a minimum ratio of Turkish employees. General rule: for every foreign employee, the company must have at least 5 Turkish employees on payroll. Exceptions apply for certain professions and company types.

Candidate entry requirement

If the candidate is outside Türkiye when the permit is approved, they must:

Obtain a work visa at a Turkish consulate (in their home country or country of residence)
Enter Türkiye on that visa
Register with local immigration within 30 days

Common issues

Diploma not apostilled or not translated by a sworn translator
Employment contract signed before permit approval (prohibited)
Employer quota not met — requires workforce planning
Candidate has tourist visa overstay on record

Compliance flags

Flag for COMPLIANCE_REVIEW if:

Employer has unresolved SGK (social security) debts
Candidate nationality requires additional screening
Role title on contract does not match the permit category applied for