Work permits, visas & immigration when hiring via Employer of Record (EOR) in Turkey
- Gegidze • გეგიძე | Marketing
- Jun 26
- 22 min read
Table of contents:
Introduction
You don’t accidentally hire in Turkey.
You plan it. Or you pay for it.
The talent’s there, smart, multilingual, time zone gold. But the immigration system? It’s not playing games. You need a visa and a work permit. And no, they’re not the same thing. Yes, both are required. No, your remote-first playbook won’t help here.
Behind Turkey’s polished business vibe is a maze of labor quotas, consulate logins, PDF-only upload portals (that randomly crash), and a ticking clock on every step.
Want to do it solo? Cool, just block off the next 6 weeks for paperwork, embassy chases, and re-submitting forms because the Turkish Ministry didn’t like your file name.
Or.
Use an Employer of Record (EOR). One that’s been through the maze. One that hires, registers, pays, and keeps your team compliant without you lifting a legal finger.
In this guide, we’re unpacking:
Who needs what (and when)
What the actual process looks like
Where most companies mess up
And how an EOR makes immigration feel... boring (in the best way)
Let’s keep your new hire moving forward, not stuck at the visa office with a rejected stamp and a flight home.
Who can legally work in Turkey?
Short answer? Turkish citizens.
Slightly longer answer? Turkish citizens and permanent residents.
Everyone else? Better come prepared, because Turkey doesn’t hand out work rights like candy at a trade fair.
If your hire isn’t local, they can’t legally lift a finger on your behalf without a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. That applies to everyone: full-time, part-time, remote, hybrid, unicorn developer, or part-time ops wizard.
And no, a tourist visa won’t cut it.
And no, “they’re just doing onboarding stuff” isn’t a loophole.
If they’re on your payroll and working in Turkey without the right papers, you’re breaking the law.
Let’s break this down:
Work permit = permission to legally work
Residence permit = permission to live in Turkey
Most foreign hires will need both.
And both take time, effort, and nerves of steel to get.
Here’s the kicker:
Even if you somehow thread the needle with consulates, paperwork, translations, biometric data, and shifting government forms, you’ll still be tied to local labor quotas. That means for every foreigner you hire, you often need five Turkish employees already on your books. No local entity?
No quota base. Game over, unless you use an EOR.
Now, here's what happens when companies skip the rules:
You get hit with heavy fines
Your hire gets deported
Your business gets blacklisted from future work authorizations
Not cute. Not fun. Not worth it.
So what does this mean for employers?
It means you carry the legal burden.
Before hiring a non-citizen, you must:
Run a right-to-work check
Ensure permits are valid and in hand
Stay compliant with labor quotas and reporting obligations
Be able to prove all of it if audited
Skip any step, and you’re looking at:
Fines
Contract invalidation
Delays in future work authorizations
You're possibly getting banned from re-entry
Employer of Record (EOR) in Turkey
An Employer of Record (EOR) already operates with legal status in Turkey. That means:
They handle the work permit application
They manage residence permit approvals
They ensure payroll, tax, and social security compliance
They make your hire 100% legit, fast
And you?
You skip the embassy wild goose chase and focus on scaling your team like a grown-up.
So, who can legally work in Turkey?
Anyone If they’ve got the right paperwork and a legal employer backing them.
If you don’t have an entity, that employer had better be your EOR.
Work visa vs. work permit: What’s the difference?
This is where most teams mess up.
They think getting someone into Turkey is the same as getting them authorized to work.
It’s not.
The visa opens the door.
The permit lets them stay and actually do the job.
Miss either one, and you’re back to square one with wasted time, stalled projects, and probably some legal headaches.
Step 1: Get the work visa
A work visa is what allows a foreign national to enter Turkey with the intention to work. Think of it as the entry ticket. No visa = no airport check-in, no landing, no start date.
But, and here’s the kicker, a work visa does not give the right to work. It just gets your hire into the country legally. The actual permission to work? That comes from the work permit.
Who applies for it?
The employee, at the Turkish consulate in their home country.
But your EOR or local employer provides the paperwork behind it.
What’s needed?
Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
Passport photos
Completed visa application
Signed employment contract
Letter of invitation from the Turkish employer (your EOR)
Proof of medical insurance
Receipt of visa fee payment
How long is it valid?
Typically 90 days.
Enough time to enter the country and get the work permit finalized.
Step 2: Secure the work permit
This is where the real magic happens.
The work permit is your employee’s legal right to work in Turkey. It’s what allows them to:
Get paid legally
Be covered by Turkish labor protections
Access benefits like health insurance
Register with the tax and social security authorities
Apply for residence in Turkey
Without a work permit, they can’t earn a lira or stay.
Who applies for it?
The employer, in this case, your EOR provider in Turkey, submits the application to Turkey’s Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
What’s needed?
Online employer application
Signed work contract
Employee’s diploma or proof of qualifications (translated & notarized)
Employee’s passport copy
Biometric photo
Employer’s tax registration, chamber of commerce docs
Proof the role could not be filled by a Turkish citizen (labor market test)
Payment of work permit fee
How long is it valid?
Initial permit: 1 year (renewable)
Second renewal: 2 years
Third renewal onward: 3 years
After 8 years: You can apply for a permanent (indefinite) work permit
Does it include residency?
Yes. A work permit in Turkey also serves as a residence permit, so there’s no need to apply for a separate short-term stay visa unless you're coming in on a different basis (e.g., as a dependent or spouse).
Types of Turkish visas & permits
Not all paperwork is created equal, and in Turkey, the visa or permit your hire holds can change everything about how long they can stay, what they can do, and whether your company is operating within the law.
Here’s the full lineup of Turkey’s most important visa and permit types, what they’re for, who qualifies, and why they matter when you’re hiring internationally.
Work Visa (Çalışma Vizesi)
What it does:
Grants entry into Turkey for employment purposes.
Who it’s for:
Foreigners who’ve received a valid job offer from a Turkish company or an Employer of Record (EOR) acting on the employer’s behalf.
Need to know:
This is your employee’s entry ticket, not their work authorization.
Must be applied for before entering Turkey, typically through a Turkish consulate or embassy.
Requires employer sponsorship and a signed employment contract.
Once granted, the employee can legally enter Turkey, but can’t work yet.
This visa works hand-in-hand with the work permit. Without both, your hire is grounded.
Work permit (Çalışma İzni)
What it does:
Authorizes legal employment and payroll registration inside Turkey.
Who it’s for:
Any foreign national planning to work in Turkey beyond 90 days.
Need to know:
Issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
Valid for 1 year initially; renewable for 2 and 3 years. After 8 years, applicants can seek indefinite work permits.
Tied to the specific employer or EOR that submitted the application.
Requires proof that the role can’t be filled by a Turkish national.
Bottom line: No work permit = no employment contract, no legal payroll, and no compliance.
Business visa
What it does:
Grants short-term entry for business meetings, networking, or investment research, not for actual employment.
Who it’s for:
Foreign professionals are attending conferences, trade fairs, or exploring business partnerships in Turkey.
Need to know:
Typically valid for 90 days within a 180-day period.
You can shake hands and talk strategy, but you can’t sign a local employment contract or earn a salary.
Investor visa
What it does:
Supports long-term residency and potential work rights for entrepreneurs and investors.
Who it’s for:
Foreign nationals planning to start a business or invest a defined amount in Turkey’s economy.
Need to know:
Minimum investment thresholds apply (real estate, capital investment, or job creation).
Often leads to residency and eligibility for permanent permits.
Work is permitted only if linked to the business or investment.
Student visa
What it does:
Authorizes study at Turkish educational institutions, with limited work eligibility.
Who it’s for:
International students are accepted into Turkish universities or language programs.
Need to know:
Part-time work is allowed under certain conditions (check the latest updates with your EOR or local advisor).
Requires proof of enrollment, accommodation, and financial support.
Tourist visa
What it does:
Short-term stay for tourism, family visits, or cultural exploration.
Who it’s for:
Anyone visiting Turkey for non-business, non-work reasons.
Need to know:
Valid for up to 90 days in a 180-day window.
Cannot be used for any paid activity or employment.
Digital nomads often abuse this one, but if you’re hiring, don’t.
Independent Work Permit
What it does:
Let highly skilled foreign professionals work for themselves in Turkey.
Who it’s for:
Entrepreneurs, consultants, freelancers, and experts are not tied to a single employer.
Need to know:
Not easy to get. Requires a proven track record, qualifications, financial independence, and sometimes a business plan.
Usually granted after several years of legal residence and work in Turkey.
Allows full work autonomy, but still comes with taxes and compliance obligations.
Freelance work permit
What it does:
Permits remote workers or creatives to work legally as freelancers.
Who it’s for:
Remote professionals who want to live and work in Turkey without being tied to a Turkish employer.
Need to know:
Must show evidence of ongoing freelance work, income, and self-sufficiency.
Often used by digital nomads trying to legalize their stay.
Doesn’t require company sponsorship, but still must be approved by the government.
Humanitarian Residence Permit
What it does:
Provides short-term protection and residency under extraordinary circumstances.
Who it’s for:
Refugees, displaced individuals, or those with compelling humanitarian reasons for staying.
Need to know:
Issued on a case-by-case basis.
May allow limited work rights, but typically doesn’t guarantee full employment access.
Requires documentation and often legal assistance.
So, which one do you need?
If you’re hiring someone for a role based in Turkey, skip the guesswork:
They’ll need a Work Visa to enter
A Work Permit to get on payroll
And possibly a Residence Permit, depending on permit type
Trying to sort this on your own? Prepare for a slow-moving maze of ministries and shifting rules.
Let your EOR handle the forms, fees, and filings—so your team can get to work.
Step-by-step: How to get a work visa & permit in Turkey
Hiring foreign talent in Turkey isn’t rocket science, but it’s close. You’ve got two tracks running in parallel: the employee applies for a work visa outside Turkey, and the employer (or your EOR) applies for a work permit inside Turkey. Miss a beat, and the whole thing gets kicked back. Here’s how to get it right the first time.
Secure a job offer
The process doesn’t start with paperwork; it starts with a job.
To apply for a work visa and permit, your candidate needs an official job offer and a signed employment contract. No contract = no process. If you're working through an EOR, they’ll issue this contract directly as the legal employer in Turkey.
Apply for the work visa abroad
Before they can land in Turkey, your candidate must visit a Turkish embassy or consulate in their home country and apply for a work visa.
They’ll need:
A valid passport (with at least 6 months left)
Completed visa application form
Passport-sized photos
The signed employment contract or intent letter
Proof of health insurance (in some cases)
Once submitted, they’ll receive an application reference number, this is crucial for the employer’s side of things.
The employer files the work permit application
While the employee is doing their bit abroad, your EOR (or direct employer) must submit the work permit application to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services in Turkey.
This includes:
The reference number from the employee’s visa application
Company registration docs
A copy of the employment contract
Proof that the job can’t be filled by a Turkish national
Compliance with labor quotas (e.g., at least 5 Turkish employees per foreign hire in most sectors)
If you're using an EOR, this entire process is handled for you—fast, compliant, and headache-free.
Wait for approvals
The visa and work permit are processed in parallel. Timelines vary, but expect:
Visa processing: 10–30 business days (outside Turkey)
Work permit approval: Up to 30 days (inside Turkey)
Note: Applications with missing or inconsistent documents are often delayed, or flat-out denied.
Enter Turkey and register locally
Once both are approved, your employee gets the visa stamped and boards their flight.
Upon arrival, they’ll need to:
Apply for a residence permit (if the work permit doesn’t include it automatically)
Complete biometric registration
Register their address with local immigration
Your EOR typically guides the employee through this process to make sure nothing’s missed.
Receive the work permit card
If everything checks out, the employee receives their work permit card, the final green light to legally live and work in Turkey.
This card usually lasts 1 year, tied to the employer. Renewals can extend it to 2–3 years, and after 8 years of uninterrupted employment, they can apply for an indefinite work permit.
One more thing
This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it system. Every permit has deadlines, quotas, and renewal rules.
That’s why EOR partners are key. They don’t just file paperwork, they manage the whole lifecycle of legal employment in Turkey, so your hire can stay focused on the work (and not worry about whether their next visa update got lost in translation).
Still wondering if you need both a visa and a permit? You do. And now you know exactly how to get them.
Why use an EOR instead of DIY immigration?
You could DIY Turkish immigration, but you probably shouldn’t.
Here’s the reality: immigration in Turkey isn’t just about forms and stamps. It’s about understanding constantly shifting rules, managing government portals that glitch mid-upload, and knowing which ministry officer to follow up with when your file’s been sitting untouched for 23 business days.
Most companies find that out the hard way. They Google their way into a rabbit hole, misread eligibility rules, submit the wrong format (yes, PDF instead of JPEG matters), and waste weeks waiting on a rejection that was 100% avoidable.
Meanwhile, their new hire? Still stuck in visa limbo.
Still not working.
Still not legally onboarded.
That’s where an Employer of Record (EOR) changes everything.
What does an EOR actually do?
An EOR is your shortcut to being legally operational in Turkey, without setting up your own entity or battling bureaucracy.
They:
Act as the legal employer on paper
Handle work visa and permit applications (yes, both)
Stay up to date on labor law, quotas, and compliance changes
Navigate residence permits, biometric appointments, and registrations
Run compliant payroll and benefits administration
Jump through hoops so you don’t have to
It’s like having your own legal + HR team in Turkey without building one from scratch.
DIY means risk. EOR means speed.
Here’s how it plays out:
DIY Immigration | EOR Handling |
Wait weeks just to understand the process | Get expert support on day one |
Risk invalid contracts or non-compliant benefits | Fully compliant local employment package |
Submit visa docs, then wait—and hope | EOR files and follows up with authorities |
Delay onboarding due to paperwork issues | Hire fast with predictable timelines |
Your hire wants to work, not wait.
Every week your employee is stuck outside Turkey, or in-country but not legal, is a week of lost productivity, momentum, and morale.
Using an EOR means they show up ready to work, not spending their first month chasing approvals.
And for you?
You hire globally without taking on immigration liability.
You scale without setting up entities.
You grow, legally.
So, unless your team has a Turkish immigration attorney on speed dial and a tolerance for pain, this isn’t the place to go solo.
Let the pros handle it. You’ve got a business to build.
EOR vs. direct contractor hiring in Turkey
So you want to hire in Turkey without setting up a company, dealing with payroll taxes, or brushing up on Turkish labor code?
You’ve got two options:
Hire a local contractor and hope they never get flagged.
Use an Employer of Record (EOR) and actually sleep at night.
Let’s unpack why # 1 might look cheaper, but comes with risks that could wreck your hiring strategy.
The Turkey problem: contractors' ≠ free pass
On the surface, Turkey’s contractor scene looks flexible. People invoice in lira. The paperwork’s minimal. Banks work. But the moment your “freelancer” starts:
Working set hours
Using your company email
Appearing in team Slack channels
Reporting to a manager
You’re playing employment roulette.
Under Turkish labor law, that’s not a contractor. That’s a misclassified employee. And the fines?
Back taxes, social security contributions, and serious headaches if your name hits the labor ministry radar.
And guess what, your “contractor” can flip the script any time they want. One legal complaint, and now you’re in court defending an employment relationship you never registered.
With an EOR in Turkey, you hire a legit
An Employer of Record is your legal shortcut. They:
Hire the person at their local entity
Handle contracts, payroll, tax, and social security
Make sure you don’t get roasted in a misclassification audit
Let you run the team how you want—with KPIs, full control, and no legal acrobatics
It’s not a loophole. It’s how smart companies scale in countries like Turkey without setting up shop.
Local red flags you won’t see coming (but we will)
Turkey has labor quotas. Social security ID checks. Compulsory payroll reporting. Mandatory health insurance. You can’t just Venmo someone and call it a day.
You need:
A Turkish entity, OR
A legal partner with one (hi, we’re Team Up)
Contractors won’t warn you about that. An EOR builds your team on solid ground.
TL;DR: If it smells like employment, treat it like employment
Go contractor if:
It’s project-based
You need zero control
You’re OK with risk and red tape down the line
Go EOR if:
You want that person to be part of your team
You want to avoid government drama
You want clean hiring, fast
EORs keep you legal, fast, and hands-off with Turkish bureaucracy.
Contractors keep you guessing and exposed.
Still thinking about option 1?
Let’s talk before the labor ministry does.
Eligibility requirements for a work permit in Turkey
Hiring foreign talent in Turkey sounds exciting until you hit the checklist of who qualifies, who doesn’t, and what gets flagged at the Ministry of Labor faster than you can say “izin belgesi.”
Here’s what actually matters when applying for a Turkish work permit (and what the authorities will be double-checking behind the scenes).
A valid job offer from a Turkish employer
No job = no permit. The foreign national must already have a concrete offer from a company based in Turkey. Verbal promises won’t cut it. You’ll need:
A signed employment contract
Clearly defined job responsibilities
Stated salary that aligns with minimum thresholds
Employer sponsorship
This isn’t a solo mission. The employer must apply directly to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security within 10 business days of the employee submitting their visa application at the Turkish consulate abroad.
And that employer? They must:
Be a legally registered Turkish entity
Be current on all tax and SGK (social security) payments
Prove they tried to find a Turkish citizen first (hello, labor market test)
Proof of qualifications
Turkey doesn’t hand out work permits for “fast learners.” You’ll need notarized and, often, Turkish-translated proof of:
University degrees
Certifications or licenses relevant to the job
Prior work experience (ideally 5+ years for higher-level positions)
They want to see that this foreign hire is worth the exception.
Minimum salary thresholds
Foreign workers must be paid above a specific minimum, based on job type. For example:
Senior execs: ~6.5x minimum wage
Engineers or specialists: ~4x
Regular skilled workers: ~1.5x
These thresholds change annually and are non-negotiable. Try to lowball, and your permit will be denied.
Labor quota compliance
Your company must employ at least 5 Turkish citizens for every 1 foreign national on staff. No, that’s not a suggestion, it’s a hard rule, and your SGK payroll records will be checked.
Planning to scale? Your Turkish-to-international ratio needs to scale too.
Clean records & insurance
Foreign workers must provide:
A passport valid for at least 6 months
2 biometric photos
Proof of health insurance
A clean criminal background check (in some sectors)
Costs of visas & work permits in Turkey
Here’s the part every company wants to skip to: How much is this going to cost me?
Hiring in Turkey through legal channels isn’t just about paperwork, it’s also about budgeting. And if you get it wrong, you’re not just risking delays. You’re risking full application rejections.
Let’s break down the government fees tied to work permits and visas so you can plan with your finance team, not surprise them.
Government Fees (2025)
Permit Type | Fee (EUR) |
Temporary Work Permit (1 year) | €119 |
Temporary Work Permit (2 years) | €238 |
Permanent Work Permit | €1,189 |
Independent Work Permit | €1,189 |
Valuable Paper Fee (admin cost) | €14 |
Note: All fees are subject to annual revision and may vary depending on currency fluctuations and nationality-specific agreements.
What’s not included in that table?
These are just the official state fees. You’ll also want to budget for:
Notarization and sworn translations of diplomas, contracts, passports
Legal representation or consulting fees if you're not using an EOR
Health insurance premiums for your foreign employee (mandatory)
Courier or biometric appointment costs, depending on the consulate location
EOR vs. DIY: Where do the fees go?
With a DIY setup, your internal HR or legal team handles these tasks and eats up time (and likely, money via consultants).
With an Employer of Record (EOR), these costs are typically baked into a monthly fee €299.
The EOR becomes the legal employer, takes care of applications, tracks expiration dates, manages renewals, and fronts these admin costs on your behalf.
What happens if you underpay or miss a step?
Your application gets delayed, or worse, rejected. And no, Turkey doesn’t refund rejected permit fees.
That’s why getting it right the first time matters. Whether you DIY or go the EOR route, the cost of mistakes far outweighs the initial fee.
Renewal & family residence permits in Turkey
If you're hiring foreign talent in Turkey, the initial work permit is just the beginning. Whether your new hire plans to stay long-term or bring their family, you need to understand how renewals and family residence permits actually work, and what happens if you get it wrong.
Let’s walk through both.
Work permit renewals: What you need to know
Work permits in Turkey are not indefinite. They’re issued for a fixed term, usually 1 year to start. If your employee is staying longer, you’ll need to file for a renewal before the current permit expires.
Here’s the typical timeline:
First permit: 1 year
First renewal: Extend to 2 years
Second renewal: Extend up to 3 years
After 8 years of uninterrupted work, Eligible to apply for an indefinite work permit
A few key rules:
You must apply for renewal within 60 days before the permit expires, but no later than the expiry date.
The employee must remain employed during this period; quitting or switching employers resets the process.
Renewals are handled by the employer, either you or your EOR. Employees can’t renew their own permits independently.
Late or incorrect applications can mean starting over, or worse, ending up out of status.
Residence permits for family members
Family members, spouses, children under 18, or dependents, do not automatically get to stay in Turkey just because your employee has a work permit.
They must apply for a family residence permit, and it's a completely separate process.
To qualify, the foreign employee must:
Hold a valid work permit and residence status
Prove sufficient financial means to support the family
Provide notarized and translated documents (marriage certificate, birth certificate for kids, etc.)
Show valid health insurance covering each family member
Submit proof of housing in Turkey (like a rental agreement or ownership deed)
The family residence permit is usually granted for the same duration as the primary work permit. If the employee's permit is for 1 year, the family gets 1 year too.
Important: Family members can’t work on a family residence permit. If a spouse wants to work, they’ll need to go through their own work visa and permit process.
Why this matters
Renewals and family permits are where things often get messy, especially if you're new to hiring in Turkey.
It’s not just about getting the forms submitted. It’s about filing them correctly, on time, and with the right supporting documents, all in Turkish, often with notarization, and sometimes requiring consular appointments depending on the case.
Any misstep can result in delays, rejections, fines, or worse, deportation and work bans.
This is where your EOR earns its keep
A good Employer of Record in Turkey doesn’t just handle payroll and onboarding. They:
Track renewal deadlines
Coordinate document collection
File everything with the right ministry
Help with translations, notarization, and housing proof
Manage the family permit process end-to-end
Keep you compliant, so your team stays protected
The rules aren’t impossible, but they are strict. And they don’t bend for employers who say, “We didn’t know.”
So whether your hire is bringing their spouse, planning to stay for the long haul, or both, having someone local who knows the system makes all the difference.
Want to keep your team focused on the work, not stuck in bureaucracy?
Let your EOR handle the rest.
Risks of getting immigration wrong
Think immigration compliance in Turkey is just paperwork?
Think again.
Getting it wrong doesn’t just slow things down; it can burn your team, wreck your timeline, and put your company in legal hot water. And the worst part? You often don’t know you messed up until it’s too late.
Let’s break down what’s actually at stake.
Fines, penalties, and bans
Start with the obvious. If you hire a foreign employee without the right permit, you’re violating Turkish labor law. That opens the door to:
Fines for both the company and the employee
Work bans for the individual (typically up to 5 years)
Blacklistings that can stop your company from sponsoring future permits
Potential criminal liability in severe cases
And no, pleading ignorance doesn’t help. Turkish authorities expect you to know the rules before you hire.
Visa rejections & permit cancellations
Get a document wrong. Miss a deadline. Submit a JPEG when they wanted a PDF.
Your employee’s visa can get rejected, even after months of prep. Or their permit gets cancelled mid-project, and now your dev team is missing a backend engineer you just onboarded.
It’s not rare. It happens.
Especially if you're DIY-ing it across embassies, ministries, and local offices with outdated forms and shifting rules.
Loss of top talent
Let’s say you finally found the perfect candidate. They accept. They're ready to relocate. But then?
Weeks of delays. Incomplete paperwork. Confusing next steps. No one’s quite sure what’s happening.
Eventually, they bail. And you’re back at square one.
Candidates, especially senior ones, won’t stick around if the relocation feels like chaos. Immigration delays can kill deals before day one.
Business disruptions
When permits fall through, you lose more than just an employee.
You lose time. You miss deliverables. Your in-house team takes on more work to cover the gap. Morale dips. Clients get nervous.
This isn’t theoretical; we’ve seen companies pause entire launches because one foreign product manager couldn’t get past passport control.
Damage to your reputation
In competitive markets, how you treat people matters.
If word gets out that your company mismanages immigration, ignores legal risks, or treats global hires like afterthoughts, good luck convincing top candidates (or investors) to take you seriously.
Global hiring is a trust game. Get it wrong, and that trust breaks fast.
But here’s the good news
You don’t have to be an immigration expert.
That’s what your Employer of Record is for. A good EOR in Turkey will:
Keep your team compliant
Navigate every permit and visa requirement
Handle timelines, documentation, translations, and submissions
Flag any risk before it becomes a problem
Shield you from liability while keeping your hire legally employed
You focus on growing your team. They handle the red tape.
Because when it comes to immigration, there’s no reward for trying to wing it. Just consequences. And they’re expensive.
Don’t learn that the hard way.
What an EOR legally covers in Turkey
When you hire in Turkey through an Employer of Record, you’re not just outsourcing paperwork; you’re legally transferring the load that keeps most founders and hiring managers up at night.
An EOR becomes the official employer on record for your foreign hire. That means they carry the legal responsibility for everything from work permits to payroll to social security registration. On paper, your employee works for the EOR. In practice, they report to you, just without the legal mess.
Here’s what that actually includes.
Immigration & work authorization
Your EOR applies for the work permit and coordinates with Turkish consulates to secure the work visa. They gather documents, translate what’s needed, hit the deadlines, and respond to any ministry follow-ups.
They know which employment types require what. They track quotas. They handle renewals. If something changes mid-process, they catch it before it becomes a problem.
No guesswork. No last-minute embassy panic. No permit rejection because the wrong form was used.
Payroll compliance & social security
You pay the EOR one monthly invoice. They take care of:
Registering the employee with SGK (Turkey’s social security authority)
Calculating gross-to-net pay, tax withholding, and employer contributions
Processing payments to the employee and the Turkish government
Filing monthly tax and insurance reports
Staying ahead of rate changes and legal updates
It’s not just about paying your hire, it’s about paying them correctly, the Turkish way.
Contracts, benefits & termination
Turkish labor law is strict about how you hire, what you offer, and how you let someone go.
An EOR drafts compliant, bilingual employment contracts. They structure bonuses, vacation days, and benefits in line with Turkish standards. If things don’t work out, they handle legal offboarding without putting your company at risk.
You don’t need to learn local severance rules. Or worry about wrongful dismissal claims. That’s their domain.
Liability coverage
You don’t need to set up a Turkish legal entity. You don’t carry employer-of-record risk. You don’t get fined if a permit expires or a tax is miscalculated.
They’re the employer of record. They’re on the hook.
That peace of mind is what you’re really paying for.
You focus on the work. They handle the red tape.
An EOR in Turkey gives you the legal structure, the tax setup, the payroll ops, and the immigration approvals without forcing you to become a local law expert or set up a Turkish subsidiary.
No corners cut. No legal grey zones. Just clean, compliant hiring from day one.
If you’re scaling into Turkey without an entity, this is your best move.
Final checklist for Turkey immigration via EOR
Hiring in Turkey through an EOR means you're handing off the hardest parts, but you still need to know what’s happening behind the scenes. Here’s your sanity-saving checklist to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Before hiring
Pick an EOR with a legal entity in Turkey
Not all providers have on-the-ground infrastructure. You want one that’s fully licensed and registered to employ locally.
Clarify employment terms
Role title, salary, start date, working hours, benefits, remote/in-office setup — get it all documented before kickoff.
Verify job eligibility
Does this role qualify for a Turkish work permit? Can the EOR sponsor it? Nail this early.
During the immigration process
Signed employment contract (in Turkish and English)
This is required for both work permit and visa applications. The EOR handles it, but you need to approve it.
Document collection
The employee provides:
Valid passport
CV or proof of qualifications
Health insurance
Biometric photos
Police clearance (if required)
Employer documentation
The EOR submits:
Proof they’re a registered Turkish employer
A statement justifying the need for a foreign hire
SGK registration info
Permit application filed with the Ministry of Labor
This kicks off the approval process. You’ll get an estimated timeline (usually 30 days).
Work visa application at the Turkish consulate (abroad)
The employee applies in their home country once the EOR gets the approval code.
Once approved
Work permit card issued & delivered
This is the employee’s legal right to work in Turkey. Without it, no employment can start.
Optional: Residence permit filed (if visa doesn’t cover stay)
In some cases, an additional permit is required; the EOR will flag it.
Employee onboarded via Turkish payroll
Salary paid in TRY, taxes and contributions handled, contract activated.
Ongoing compliance handled by EOR
Renewals. Updates. Terminations. All taken care of, with legal coverage baked in.
Conclusion
You don’t need to memorize Turkish labor codes or keep up with visa rule changes.
You need your new hire up and running legally, fast, and without red tape slowing you down.
That’s what an Employer of Record does.
They carry the legal risk.
They handle the paperwork.
They make sure your business plays by the rules, even if you don’t have a single entity in Turkey.
At Team Up, we’ve helped companies hire across the region without immigration mistakes, payroll delays, or compliance headaches. Whether you're scaling a remote team or relocating key talent, we handle the hard stuff so you don’t have to.
Ready to hire in Turkey without losing sleep over work permits?
Book a free EOR strategy call with Team Up and let’s make your next international hire seamless.