According to the International Labour Code No. 6735, foreign nationals who want to work in Turkey must obtain a work permit or a work permit exemption document.
Administrative fines are imposed on foreigners who work without a work permit and employers who employ them. The amounts of administrative fines to be applied to foreign employees in 2023 has been updated. Accordingly, the increase was made according to the Official Revaluation Rate, which was determined as 122.93 percent.
Accordingly, employers who employ foreigners who do not have a permit in the year 2023 will pay an administrative fine of 35 thousand 815 TL for “each employee”. An administrative fine of 14,318 Liras will also be imposed on the foreign person who works for an employer without obtaining a work permit.
Foreigners who work independently on their own behalf and account without a work permit will be fined with 28,655 Liras.
While 225 thousand 311 foreigners applied to work in Turkey between January and October, 2022, 154 thousand 846 of them were granted a work permit.
The following table shows the amounts of administrative fines to be given foreigners and their employers who do not comply with the obligation of getting work permit:
| Type of the violation | Amount applied in 2021 | Amount applied in 2022 | Amount applied in 2023 |
| Employing a foreigner who does not have a work permit (For each foreigner) (The fine is given to the employer) | TRY 11,796 | TRY 16,066 | TRY 35,815 |
| Working dependently (as employed by an employer) without a work permit (The fine is given to the foreigner) (For each detection) | TRY 4,716 | TRY 6,423 | TRY 14,318 |
| Working independently without a work permit (The fine is given to the foreigner) (For each detection) | TRY 9,438 | TRY 12,854 | TRY 28,655 |
| Not fulfilling the notification obligation stipulated in the International Labour Code in due time (The fine is given to the foreigner and the employer, separately) (If the foreigner is working independently the fine is given to him/her) (For each foreigner) | TRY 784 | TRY 1,067 | TRY 2,378 |
Administrative fines to be applied to the foreigner and the employer in case of violation of the notification obligation or the work permit obligation.
