Practice Area

Employment Law & Global Mobility Services in Turkey

Turkish employment law and global mobility counsel for international employers throughout the employee lifecycle

Hiring in Turkey is not simply a matter of adapting a global employment contract. We coordinate Turkish employment law, payroll and SGK, employee privacy, work permits, HR compliance, performance management, restructuring and termination strategy from hire to exit.

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Employment Law and Global Mobility Services in Turkey

Turkish Trade Lawyers is a Turkish business law firm advising international and domestic employers on employment law and global mobility in Turkey. Our employment lawyers support the full employee lifecycle: hire, mobilise, employ, manage, restructure, exit and defend.

International employers must coordinate Turkish employment law, payroll and social security, employee privacy, work permit rules, workplace policies, performance management and termination procedures from the beginning of the employment relationship.

For foreign employees, the employment and immigration workstreams are directly connected. Before an expatriate executive, engineer, manager or specialist begins working in Turkey, the employer must assess the correct work permit route and the sponsor’s current Ministry criteria.

Employment Support at a Glance

We advise multinational companies, foreign investors, Turkish subsidiaries, regional HR teams, founders and senior executives on the employment decisions that shape a workforce in Turkey. Our counsel covers the practical link between the legal employer, the employee, payroll / SGK, work authorisation and day-to-day HR operations.

Each engagement is structured around the client’s immediate objective while keeping future compliance and dispute risk in view. We can support a single hire, a growing Turkish team, an expatriate assignment or an organisation-wide HR review.

  • Hiring, contract localisation and executive employment
  • Workforce structuring, EOR and foreign employee mobility
  • HR compliance, employee privacy and performance support
  • Payroll, SGK, remote work and contractor classification
  • Restructuring, termination, severance and exit planning
  • Mediation, reinstatement claims and employment litigation

Employment Structuring for Foreign Companies Entering Turkey

A foreign business planning to build a team in Turkey should decide the employment structure before the first hire. We assess the Turkish subsidiary, branch, Employer of Record, secondment, intra-group assignment, contractor, remote employee and executive appointment options together with payroll, SGK, work permit, employee data and termination exposure.

Hiring Employees in Turkey

We support offer letters, employment contracts, fixed-term and indefinite-term structures, probation, job descriptions, bonus terms, confidentiality, IP, non-compete, privacy documentation and onboarding checklists.

Contract Localisation

Global templates are reviewed for Turkish requirements on working time, overtime and employee consent, salary, benefits, annual leave, monitoring, disciplinary rules, post-termination obligations and return of company property. We also review language requirements and applicable restrictions on foreign-currency salary provisions.

Executive & C-Suite Employment

CEO, CFO, country manager and general manager packages are coordinated with signatory authority, incentives, relocation benefits, change-of-control, termination, severance and work permit strategy.

Compensation & Benefits

We review gross/net salary, bonus, commission, retention and sign-on payments, benefits, housing, vehicles, equity incentives and whether variable compensation affects severance or notice calculations.

Our Employment & Mobility Process

Step 1 — Define the Workforce Objective

We identify whether the client is hiring, transferring, restructuring, terminating or building a Turkish workforce.

Step 2 — Identify the Legal Employer

We review the Turkish entity, branch, EOR, secondment, contractor or other proposed structure.

Step 3 — Map Requirements

We identify contract, payroll / SGK, work permit, employee privacy, OHS and sector-specific issues.

Step 4 — Build and Implement

We prepare the documentation and coordinate with HR, payroll, finance, relocation and global mobility teams.

Step 5 — Manage, Exit or Defend

We support promotions, performance, complaints, compliance, termination, mediation and litigation as the relationship develops.

What You Receive

Depending on the engagement, deliverables may include:

Hire & Mobilise

Employment-entry roadmap, employment structure assessment, contract and executive agreement, global-template localisation, work permit eligibility memo, application package, extension portfolio and assignment / secondment documentation.

Manage & Comply

Employee handbook, HR policies, remote-work agreement, EOR review, contractor classification review, social-security treaty analysis, HR compliance audit, performance improvement documentation and workplace investigation report.

Restructure & Exit

Restructuring plan, termination-risk assessment, severance / notice framework, mutual termination agreement, mediation strategy and employee communications.

Defend & Continue

Reinstatement and employment litigation defence, regulatory response and ongoing Turkish employment counsel for HR, legal and management teams.

Who We Advise

Our employment and global mobility practice advises multinational companies, foreign investors, Turkish subsidiaries, branches, technology and SaaS businesses, manufacturers, exporters, e-commerce companies, distributors, financial businesses, healthcare and life-sciences companies, hospitality and logistics businesses, startups, EOR users, boards, senior management and foreign executives.

Planning a foreign hire?

Assess the sponsor, candidate, salary, work permit route and employment documentation before the start date becomes a business-continuity issue.

Assess Sponsor & Candidate Eligibility

HR Compliance, Performance and Employee Privacy

International businesses often inherit employment risk through rapid growth, acquisitions or inconsistent local practice. We build preventive Turkish HR compliance rather than waiting for a claim.

HR Compliance Audits

We review contracts, personnel files, fixed-term arrangements, working-time records, overtime approvals and payments, annual-leave records, salary, bonus, remote work, privacy, work permits, SGK, OHS, subcontracting and termination records, then deliver a risk-ranked remediation report.

Performance Management

A defensible performance process uses clear, measurable expectations, warnings, employee defence, performance-improvement plans and consistent manager documentation before termination is considered.

Investigations & Discipline

We advise on fraud, bribery, harassment, discrimination, bullying, data misuse, attendance, expense abuse and whistleblower allegations through investigation plans, evidence review, employee defence and disciplinary recommendations.

Employee Data Protection

Employment and KVKK overlap in candidate data, background checks, monitoring, CCTV, global HR systems, disciplinary records, cross-border transfers and employee data requests. See our employee data protection services.

Working Time, Overtime and Leave in Turkey

Working-time compliance is a recurring source of employment claims in Turkey. Employers should align employment contracts, working schedules, overtime approvals, payroll records and annual-leave records with actual working practices. For international employers, we can review working-time, overtime and leave practices as part of a wider Turkish HR compliance audit.

Working Hours & Daily Limits

The general statutory working time is 45 hours per week. Working hours may be distributed across the working days by agreement, but daily working time should generally not exceed 11 hours.

We advise on working-time structures, shift arrangements, flexible scheduling, equalisation periods, attendance systems and remote-work schedules.

Overtime and Employee Consent

Work exceeding the general 45-hour weekly limit is generally treated as overtime. Overtime pay is typically calculated at an increased rate, and employee consent and accurate records are important parts of employer compliance.

We review overtime clauses, employee approvals, payroll treatment, timekeeping records and the annual overtime limits applicable to the workforce.

Breaks and Weekly Rest

Employees must receive statutory rest breaks depending on the length of the working day and are generally entitled to an uninterrupted weekly rest period.

We review shift plans and workplace practices to identify arrangements that may create working-time or wage exposure.

Annual Leave and Record-Keeping

Employees who complete the statutory qualifying period become entitled to paid annual leave, with minimum leave periods increasing according to length of service.

Employers should maintain reliable annual-leave records and ensure that contractual policies, HR systems and actual leave practices are consistent.

Need guidance on working time and overtime?

We can review schedules, overtime approvals, leave records and payroll treatment before a working-time issue becomes an employment claim.

Review Working-Time Compliance

Remote Work, EOR and Workforce Structuring

Foreign companies without a Turkish entity increasingly hire Turkish engineering, sales and support talent remotely. Remote work, Employer of Record (EOR), contractor and secondment models each create different Turkish employment, tax, work permit and social security consequences.

Remote Work Regulations

Remote work is recognized under Turkish labor law and should be documented in a written agreement covering equipment, working hours, data security, and occupational safety.

Employer of Record Models

EOR platforms can help foreign entities hire Turkish talent without a subsidiary, but joint liability and subcontracting rules must be reviewed carefully.

Mobility Exemptions

Some foreign assignments may qualify for a work permit exemption or a special mobility route. We confirm the correct authorisation before work begins.

Managing Terminations & Severance Risk

Employee termination is one of the largest corporate litigation risks in Türkiye. Severance pay, notice pay, idle-time back pay, and reinstatement compensation can compound quickly if the process is not documented and executed correctly.

Step 1: Identify the Basis for Termination

Employer-initiated termination generally depends on either valid reason or just cause. Valid reason covers performance, operational redundancy, or economic restructuring and usually requires notice and severance. Just cause covers serious misconduct and has a higher proof burden.

Step 2: Calculate Severance Pay

Employees with at least one full year of service are generally entitled to severance pay unless a lawful just-cause termination applies. Severance is calculated as 30 days of gross wage for each full year of service, subject to the statutory ceiling.

Step 3: Consider Mutual Termination

A mutual termination agreement can reduce litigation risk when it provides a reasonable benefit beyond statutory minimums. The employee's consent must be voluntary and the package should be drafted with clear waiver and payment mechanics.

Step 4: Assess Reinstatement Lawsuit Exposure

Employees in protected workplaces may challenge a termination through mandatory mediation and reinstatement litigation. If the employer does not reinstate after an adverse decision, compensation and back pay exposure may follow.

Payroll, Taxation & Social Security

Payroll in Türkiye requires coordination of SGK premiums, unemployment insurance, progressive income tax, and stamp tax. Under-reporting wages or paying part of salary off-record can create retroactive premium assessments, administrative fines, and loss of incentives.

Gross-to-net planning: Turkish salaries are often negotiated on a net basis. Employers must calculate the gross wage and employer-side cost, including SGK and unemployment insurance contributions.

Progressive income tax: Wage taxation increases as the employee moves through annual tax brackets, so gross salary arrangements can reduce net pay later in the calendar year unless the package is modeled carefully.

Restructuring, Termination and Severance Risk

Turkey does not operate a general US-style at-will employment model. The route depends on the contract, employee status, workplace headcount, seniority and the reason for termination.

Restructuring & Redundancy

We design role eliminations, organisational redesign, selection criteria, employee communications, notice, severance, protected-employee analysis and collective-termination strategy before employees are informed.

Termination Review

Our written review covers valid reason, just cause, performance, misconduct, absenteeism, fixed-term expiry, final payroll, unused leave, bonus, restrictive covenants, release documentation and reinstatement exposure.

Severance & Notice Pay

Qualifying severance is generally 30 days’ gross wage for each full year, subject to the statutory ceiling. Notice periods generally range from 2 to 8 weeks based on service, with unused leave, bonus, overtime and other receivables also reviewed.

Mutual Termination / İkale

A negotiated exit must provide a legally sustainable benefit and genuine consent. We advise on settlement range, payment timing, confidentiality, claims language, non-compete obligations, handover and mediation.

Before you terminate an employee in Turkey

We can assess the proposed legal basis, evidence, statutory payments, reinstatement exposure and recommended exit route before an irreversible communication is made.

Review the Exit Risk

2026 Work Permit Evaluation Criteria

Work permit approval is not based solely on the employee’s qualifications. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security applies employment, financial-capacity, wage and sector-specific criteria. These are general evaluation criteria, not a universal checklist for every application.

Employment Criterion

As a general rule, at least five Turkish citizens should be employed at the workplace for each foreign employee, subject to current exemptions and special sector, profession and status rules. For workplaces with net sales of at least TRY 50,000,000 in the previous year, the criterion is not applied for applications for up to five foreign employees.

Financial Capacity

A newly established balance-sheet-based employer generally needs TRY 500,000 paid-in capital. An operating employer may meet the general criterion through TRY 500,000 paid-in capital, TRY 8,000,000 net sales or USD 150,000 exports.

Role-Based Salary Multiples

The published general criteria use 5× gross minimum wage for senior executives and pilots, 4× for engineers and architects, 3× for other managers, 2× for expertise or craftsmanship roles, and at least minimum wage for domestic services and other jobs.

Eligibility Review

Provisions effective from 3 August 2026 introduce additional exceptions and sector-specific arrangements. We assess sponsor and candidate eligibility before filing and do not promise approval based on a simplified ratio.

2026 Official Government Fees

Official work permit and work permit exemption document fees are separate from Turkish Trade Lawyers’ legal fees. Last checked: August 2026.

  • Up to 1 year: TRY 12,574.90
  • More than 1 up to 2 years: TRY 25,149.80
  • More than 2 up to 3 years: TRY 37,724.70
  • More than 3 up to 4 years: TRY 50,299.60
  • More than 4 up to 5 years: TRY 62,874.50
  • Permanent or independent permit: TRY 125,802.20
  • Valuable-paper fee: TRY 964.00

Frequently Asked Questions About Employment and Global Mobility in Turkey

Direct answers to the employment law, work permit, remote work, and termination questions most often raised by foreign employers operating in Türkiye.

Yes, but a foreign entity generally cannot register a Turkish-resident employee with SGK without a local presence. Companies commonly use an EOR model, establish a Turkish entity, or operate through another compliant local structure.

The standard maximum probation period is two months. It can be extended up to four months by collective bargaining agreement. During probation, either party may terminate without notice or severance.

Severance is generally 30 days of gross wage for each full year of service, prorated for partial periods and capped by the statutory severance ceiling. Continuous benefits may be included in the gross wage base.

The general statutory working week is 45 hours. Work exceeding this limit is generally treated as overtime and is subject to increased pay, employee-consent and record-keeping requirements. Employers should also monitor applicable daily and annual working-time limits. See our Working Time, Overtime and Leave section for more detail.

The Ministry’s general criteria include a five-Turkish-employee employment criterion, but this is not universal. Turnover, foreigner status, sector, profession and other current exceptions may change the assessment.

Yes, but they must be narrowly drafted. Turkish courts review time, geography, role, sector, and whether the restriction unfairly prevents the employee from earning a living.

Many employment claims, including employee receivables and reinstatement disputes, must first go through mandatory mediation before a lawsuit can proceed.

Domestic employment contracts are generally subject to Turkish currency restrictions. Exemptions may apply for foreign-owned companies, foreign employees, and work performed abroad, but the structure should be reviewed before signing.

No. A digital nomad visa supports residence for qualifying remote workers but does not authorize employment by a Turkish company or commercial services to Turkish clients.

The Ministry states that a duly completed application is evaluated within 30 days where the required information and documents are complete. Document collection, consular steps, fee payment, entry and onboarding can make the total relocation timeline longer.

An extension application may generally be filed beginning 60 days before expiry and must be filed before the existing permit expires. Under the applicable conditions, work may continue during evaluation for up to 90 days after expiry where the work and workplace do not change.

Relevant work permit decisions may generally be challenged by objection within 30 days of notification. We assess the rejection reason, documentary deficiencies, a fresh application and, where appropriate, administrative-court strategy.

EOR models are used commercially, but the agreement and actual operating model should be reviewed for Turkish employment, temporary-employment or subcontracting, SGK, management-control, IP, privacy, termination and joint-liability risks.

Only where the factual relationship supports genuine independent contracting. Direction, integration, working-time control, exclusivity and operational dependency can create employee reclassification and SGK exposure.

Key statutory employment-security conditions generally include at least 30 employees at the workplace and six months’ service, subject to detailed rules and employee status. Mandatory mediation must generally be started within one month following termination.

Foreign employees can be subject to Turkish SGK obligations, but a bilateral social-security agreement and the assignment structure may allow home-country coverage for a permitted period. The analysis is country-specific.

Regulatory Resources

Official sources to review current work permit, employment, social security and occupational health and safety requirements.

Ask Our Team

Hiring or Managing Employees in Turkey?

Tell us about the entity, employee nationality, role, work location and deadline. We can assess the employment model, work permit route, HR compliance or termination risk and outline the next practical steps.

+90 850 304 6995 [email protected]