Foreign nationals who want to work in Turkey must obtain a “Work Permit” or “Work Permit Exemption Certificate”. Work permits are issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, General Directorate of International Labor, and if the “contract period is less than one year” when first issued, they are issued for the duration of the contract, and if the contract period is more than one year, they are issued for a validity period of one year.
In general a foreigner can work in Türkiye as dependent to an employer (with an employment contract or service contract) or as independently, if obtained a work permit during the validity period of the permit.
However, in professions reserved for Turkish citizens by various Turkish laws, it is not possible for foreign nationals to work and practice their professions within the borders of Türkiye even if they have obtained a work permit. The list of professions and duties reserved for Turkish citizens by law and in which foreigners are prohibited from working is given below. After the profession or duty is defined in the list, the relevant law and article that justifies the ban is given in parentheses.
Professions and Positions Dedicated to Citizens and Where Foreigners Are Prohibited from Working:
- Founders, Managers, Trainers and Representatives Authorized by the Company’s Legal Entity Partner for Private Security Companies (The Article 5 of the Law on Private Security Services)
- Private Security Officers (The Article 10 of the Law on Private Security Services)
- Marketplace and Neighborhood Watchmen (The Article 3 of the Law on Marketplace and Neighborhood Watchmen)
- Financial Consultancy (The Article 4 of the Law on Certified Public Accountants and Sworn-in Financial Consultancy)
- Cooperative Board Members (The Article 56 of the Cooperatives Law)
- Assistant Customs Consultants (The Article 227 of the Customs Law)
- Founders of Schools Opened by Foreigners and Teaching in a Language Other Than Turkish (The Article 8 of the Private Education Law)
- Responsible Managers in Private Hospitals (The Article 9 of the Private Hospitals Law)
- Dentistry (The Law on the Practice of Medicine and Branches of the Arts, The Article 30)
- Caregiver (The Law on the Practice of Medicine and Branches of the Arts, The Article 63)
- Pharmacy (The Law on Pharmacists and Pharmacies, The Article 2)
- Veterinary (The Law on the Practice of the Profession of Veterinary Medicine, the Formation of the Turkish Veterinary Association and Chambers and the Functions to be Performed, The Article 2)
- Foreign Assistants to Work Outside of Specialist Training (The Regulation on Medical Specialization, The Article 20)
- Notary (The Law on Notaries, The Article 7)
- Judge and Prosecutor (The Law on Judges and Prosecutors, The Article 7)
- Lawyer (The Law on Lawyers, The Article 3)
- Mediator (The Law on Mediation in Legal Disputes, The Article 20)
- Concordat Commissioner (The Regulation on Commissariat of Commissariat and Board of Creditors, Article 4)
- Trainee Aviation Information Management Officer (The Regulation on Licensing and Rating of Aviation Information Management Personnel, The Article 16)
- Honorary Traffic Inspector (The Additional Article 6 of the Highway Traffic Law)
- Transportation Organization (The Regulation on Transport Organization, The Article 7)
- Agency Manager, Travel Agency Manager (The Travel Agencies and Travel Agencies Association Law, Article 3)
- Tourist Guide (The Tourist Guide Profession Law, The Article 3)
- Exportation of Fish, Oysters, Mussels, Sponges, Pearls, Corals within Territorial Waters, Diving, Searching, Guiding, Captaincy, Enginemanship, Clerkship, Crewmanship, etc. (The Cabotage Law, The Article 3)
- Sports Counselors (The General Directorate of Youth and Sports, Regulation on Appointment and Employment of Sports Counselors, The Article 5)
- Business Intermediary in Agriculture (The Regulation on Business Intermediation in Agriculture, The Article 6)
- Ship Agency Officer and Ship Agency Personnel (The Ship Agencies Regulation, The Articles 7 and 8)
- Permanent Supervisor, Technical Staff (The Mining Regulation, The Articles 125 and 130)
