Especially with the pandemic period, we frequently started to receive “How can a Foreigner get a job in Turkey?” questions. We wanted to share some essential points in this article. In the last years, many new drafted laws for foreigners who want to get a job in Turkey have become the main topic of the conversation.
Many foreigners have been living in Turkey for a few years people have been forced to work with illegal methods. While these foreigners cannot benefit from the most basic rights such as health insurance, they cannot get their overtime wages, and even their salaries are not paid properly. However, foreigners who want to be a resident and work in Turkey have on the legal and humane working conditions in a way with the new laws in 2021.
According to the Foreign Work Permit Statistics Report published by the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services, it is seen that approximately 150 thousand foreigners got a valid work permit in 2019.
Foreigners in Turkey find jobs in different sectors in major cities like Istanbul, where international companies are located, such as Ankara and Izmir. So, we can observe that most work permit applications are received from the three biggest cities and the tourism center, Antalya.
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The Legal Occupations that Foreigners can Work in Turkey
Foreigners in Turkey have the right to work in many business sectors. International companies have job opportunities for foreign nationals who speak more than one language in management, marketing, sales, technical information and translation.
Generally, foreigners are employed in positions such as Customer Service Responsible, Foreign Language Teaching, Babysitting, Editor and Translation, Import-Export Sales Specialist.
On the other hand, Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean regions, especially hotels and travel companies,, offer seasonal jobs to foreign human resources for your needs. After a short training period, foreigners can become tour guides using their mother tongue. Seasonal jobs in entertainment venues and hotels provide ample job opportunities for foreigners.
Forbidden Occupations for Foreigners in Turkey
Foreigners are prohibited from making certain occupations in Turkey. This prohibition is regulated in the special laws of the relevant professions. Accordingly, while they can work in many professions, some professions are prohibited from being performed by foreigners, and only Turkish citizens are granted rights.
According to the International Labor Law; Applications made by foreigners to professions specific to Turkish citizens are rejected exclusively in other laws. Dentistry, Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, General Directorate of Private Health Institutions, Lawyer, Public Prosecutor, Notary, Security personnel, Exporting fish, mussels, sponges, pearls, coral, Diving in territorial waters, piloting, captain and engineer on ships or sailor to the profession, such as customs brokerage and tourist guide in Turkey are not allowed to be done by foreigners.
Platforms for Job Searching for Foreigners in Turkey
LinkedIn is one of the most important platforms that bring people and companies together, also has a lot of opportunities for people who want to work in Turkey.
Kariyer.net
It is known as Turkey’s most preferred business search platform for many years. Many job adverts for foreigners are also posted on this platform.
Indeed
Indeed, a global job search platform that offers foreigners from Turkey many business opportunities.
Expat Guide Turkey
www.expatguideturkey.com is the most comprehensive Turkey Guide of the world, so there are updated content on travel, health, education, real estate and job adverts for different opportunities in Turkey. After finding a job in Turkey, foreigners must apply for a work permit to work legally and provide.
Work Permit for Foreigners
Each year, mainly Syrians, Georgians, Ukrainians, Chinese, Indians, Russians, and British people apply for a work permit in Turkey, including thousands of foreign nationals. The foreign worker candidate who has a residence permit, a passport valid for at least 60 days, and a legal contract with the employer has the right to obtain a temporary or indefinite work permit. In addition, the right to an independent work permits has been recognized for foreigners.
Employers are required to fill in all the application forms required for their foreign employees and submit all documents to the relevant unit of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Foreigners living abroad can apply to consulates in their own countries. Foreigners can start work when their work permit application is approved. Work permit is automatically canceled as soon as foreigners leave their jobs.
