Work Permit Exemption: Who Can Benefit, Application, Periods and Exemption Violations

What is a work permit exemption and how does it differ from a work permit?

Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force treats the work permit as the rule for foreigners who will work in Türkiye, and regulates the work permit exemption as an exceptional document specific to activities determined by law or secondary legislation. During its period of validity, the exemption document gives the foreigner the right to work and reside in Türkiye. However, the document does not mean that the foreigner may work for every employer, in every occupation or indefinitely in Türkiye. [1, m.3, 6, 13 and 14; 2, m.47-56]

An exemption is not “free work without an application”

The application must be made before the exempt activity begins, or in accordance with the special procedure in the Regulation, and the person must be able to document the relevant exemption category and the duration of the activity. A conference invitation, a company assignment letter, a student certificate or a plane ticket alone does not replace an exemption document. Likewise, a foreigner’s presence in Türkiye on a visa or under a visa exemption does not create a right to work.

A situation outside the scope of the law is not the same as an exemption

Some persons may be subject to a different regime because of a special law, a bilateral agreement or an international convention. Such a situation must be assessed separately from the work permit exemption categories listed in Article 48 of the Regulation. In the file, the following question must be answered first: is the foreigner really within the scope of a work permit exemption, in another status because of a special law or agreement, or obliged to obtain a work permit? [1, m.2 and 6; 2, m.47]

The exemption document counts as a residence permit, but it does not give rise to all residence consequences

A valid work permit exemption document counts as a residence permit for the purposes of Law No. 6458. However, unless the foreigner also holds a valid ongoing residence permit, the right to stay that depends on the exemption ends when the exemption ends. It must also be borne in mind that the exemption period does not automatically give family members a right of residence, and that periods spent under an exemption are, as a rule, not included in the calculation of long-term residence or the statutory working period. [3; 7, m.27; 2, m.55]

Two important corrections regarding current law

The old “thirty days from entry” explanation should not be relied on for applications from within Türkiye

Before the amendment of 15 October 2024, the Regulation provided a thirty-day period from the foreigner’s date of entry for exemption applications made from within Türkiye. The current Article 49(3), by contrast, provides that the application is made within the period of lawful stay in Türkiye. Although the thirty-day wording may still appear in some old question-and-answer texts of the authority, the current consolidated provision of the Regulation must be relied on. Because planning an application for the last day of lawful stay creates a practical risk, the file should be prepared in advance. [2, m.49/3; 5]

In the economic and socio-cultural contribution category the period is three years, not six months

For foreigners reported to be able to make a significant service and contribution to Türkiye in the economic, socio-cultural and technological fields and in education, under Article 48(1)(h) of the Regulation, the previous maximum period of six months was raised to three years by the amendment of 15 October 2024. The six-month period seen in an outdated table or old guide should not be relied on. The same amendment added new exemption categories for persons notified by the Ministry of the Interior under Articles 46 and 91 of Law No. 6458 and for certain foreign press members. [2, m.48/1-h, ş and t; 5]

Who can benefit from a work permit exemption?

The table below is prepared on the basis of Article 48 of the Regulation and the amendment of 15 October 2024. The periods are maximum periods; if the validity of the passport or the period of the assignment or contract is shorter, the document may be issued for a shorter period. Each category carries its own evidentiary documents and its own activity limit. [2, m.48-50; 4-6]

Additional obligation for engineers, architects and city planners

For foreign engineers, architects and city planners whose professional service period exceeds one month, the exemption document alone may not be sufficient. The completion of academic and professional qualification, temporary membership of the relevant professional body and other conditions in the special legislation must also be examined separately. The professional service carried out under a one-month scientific/cultural exemption, and whether it is in fact engineering or architectural activity, may not give rise to the same assessment. [2, m.48/4; 4]

Provisions of special laws and international agreements are reserved

Where there is a possibility of work based on diplomatic status, duty at an international organisation, a social security convention or another special law, the table in Article 48 of the Regulation alone is not sufficient. The name of the document, on whose behalf the duty is carried out, from whom the salary is paid, whether a workplace is established in Türkiye and the period of stay must be assessed together.

How is a work permit exemption application made?

Applications after 17 September 2026 are made through the new system

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security announced that, from 17 September 2026, new work permit and exemption applications will be made through the new system at calismaizni.csgb.gov.tr. Applications started in the old system before this date and still pending are followed through the old system. The new and old record numbers must not be confused, and the application screen and notifications must be kept in an orderly way. [8]

Application from within Türkiye

An exemption application from within Türkiye is made by the foreigner through the electronic system within the period of lawful stay. Lawful stay is determined by the visa, visa exemption, residence permit or the relevant protection/status document. Opening an application does not in itself cure a lawful stay that has already expired. For the special category that proceeds through the notification of the Ministry of the Interior under Article 46 or Article 91 of Law No. 6458, the ordinary application procedure of Articles 49-51 does not apply; the notification form and the special process are decisive. [2, m.49 and 50; 5]

Application from abroad

A foreigner abroad applies to the Turkish diplomatic mission in the country of which they are a citizen or in which they are lawfully present. The electronic application is completed with the mission’s record and reference information. The passport, the assignment or invitation letter, the contract, the programme acceptance and other documents proving the exemption category are submitted. Starting the procedure at the mission does not mean that the document has been issued or that entry into Türkiye is certain. [2, m.49; 3]

Who makes the application and which documents are required?

The exemption application is carried out in the foreigner’s name. The involvement of a representative or technical assistance does not remove responsibility for the accuracy of the passport and activity information. The basic document groups are as follows: [3]

• A valid passport or a document replacing a passport;
• A current biometric photograph;
• A document showing the activity, assignment, contract or programme in Türkiye;
• The invitation, assignment, internship, education, federation, university, institution or company document specific to the exemption category;
• The contact and address details requested on the application screen and, where applicable, representation documents;
• For documents in a foreign language, a Turkish translation and certification where required.

The validity period of the passport or equivalent document limits the exemption period that can be issued; the document is issued so as to expire at least sixty days before the passport’s expiry date. The activity name, place of duty, employer/institution, dates and periods in the application must be consistent across all documents. [2, m.50]

How is the exemption period determined and can it be extended?

The period is determined by the shorter of the maximum limit and the real activity

The period in the Regulation is a maximum limit, not a fixed period that is necessarily granted to the foreigner. If the assignment, contract, internship, education or programme is shorter, the exemption may also be issued for a shorter period. The passport validity also sets a separate limit. If the same foreigner has more than one activity, the category and period that apply to each activity must be determined separately.

There is no application to extend the period of an exemption document

Unlike a work permit, an exemption document has no extension application in the classic sense. If the activity needs to continue, the category’s conditions for a repeat application and the waiting period are examined and a new application is made. Merely creating a new application in the system after the exemption ends does not make the intervening period of work lawful. [3]

Waiting periods for a repeat application in the same category

Under Article 53 of the Regulation, there is a waiting rule of six months from the end of the previous document in order to benefit again from the same exemption in the machinery-equipment work and cross-border service provider categories, and of twelve months in the other general categories. For tour operator representatives, the provision specific to the calendar year applies. For special categories tied to the assignment period and for notifications under Articles 46/91 of Law No. 6458, their own provisions must be examined separately. [2, m.53; 5]

How are fees and the value-paper charge applied?

General fee exception for exemptions of up to three months

As a rule, no work permit exemption fee or value-paper charge is collected for exemption applications of three months or less. If the foreigner requests a physical document, only the value-paper charge may arise. The accrual and payment notice generated by the system should be relied on. [3, 9]

2026 amounts for exemptions longer than three months

For exemptions longer than three months, the work permit exemption fee and the document charge apply according to the period. For 2026, the fee for a work permit or exemption of up to one year has been announced as TRY 12,574.90 and the value-paper charge as TRY 964. The accrual for a document longer than one year is calculated in the system according to the period; a definitive total should not be given merely by multiplying the one-year amount. The notified amounts must be paid within thirty days with separate payment codes. Failure to pay on time may prevent the application from being concluded. [9]

What rights does the exemption document provide?

Work and multiple entry-exit

The document gives a right to work limited to the activity, place and period written on it. Because a valid document counts as a residence permit, it provides a basis for the foreigner’s stay in Türkiye and can be used for entry and exit. However, other provisions on the passport, visa, entry ban and border-gate controls are reserved. [1; 2, m.55; 7, m.27]

It does not automatically give rights to family members

The spouse and children of an exemption holder do not acquire a right to work or reside on the basis of this document alone. The family members’ own visa, residence, work permit or exemption status must be assessed separately.

As a rule, the exemption period is not used in calculating long-term residence and the indefinite work permit

The Regulation provides that periods spent under a work permit exemption will, as a rule, not be included in the calculation of the statutory work permit or residence period. Accordingly, holding intermittent exemption documents for years does not automatically create the period required for an indefinite work permit or long-term residence. If there is a difference arising from a special law or an international agreement, it is examined separately. [2, m.55]

Social security and notification obligations

An exemption does not automatically remove the social security obligation

A foreigner who obtains an exemption and, where applicable, the employer must fulfil their obligations under Law No. 5510 and the social security conventions to which Türkiye is a party. Certain persons temporarily assigned by an establishment in a foreign country who document that they are insured in that country, and the posted-worker provisions in social security agreements, may lead to a different result. This assessment must be made independently of the exemption category. [1, m.22; 10]

Start, end and cancellation cases

The start or end of work, or cases requiring the cancellation of the document, may have to be notified to the Ministry. The Regulation contains a notification exception for exemptions of three months or less. For longer activities, the employer or the person concerned must complete the Ministry and SGK records separately, within the statutory periods. Special situations in which an SGK entry or exit notification counts in place of the Ministry notification should be confirmed against the current instruction in the application system. [1, m.22; 3]

In which cases does the exemption document end or get cancelled?

The document ends when the period written on it expires. The earlier end of the activity or contract, the foreigner’s loss of the category conditions, the discovery that false or misleading information was given in the application, the existence of an obstacle in terms of public order or security, or exceeding the activity limit may lead to cancellation or a new sanction assessment. [1, m.14; 2, m.54-56]

A cancellation decision is not merely the withdrawal of the physical card. The right to work and the residence basis tied to the exemption may end; complementary procedures arise in terms of SGK, foreigners law and the employment relationship. If there is a separate valid residence permit, its continuation is examined separately.

What remedies are available against a refusal of the application or cancellation of the document?

Notification and the thirty-day administrative objection

A decision refusing a work permit exemption application or cancelling an issued document is notified to the person concerned under the provisions of the Notification Law No. 7201. An objection to the Ministry’s decision may be filed through the electronic system, within thirty days of the date of notification, with a reasoned petition and documents. Instead of consisting solely of the sentence “I disagree with the decision”, the objection should contain concrete documents and legal explanations that answer the grounds for the refusal or cancellation. [1, m.21; 3]

Administrative judicial route and calculation of time

If the objection is rejected, the administrative judicial route is open. Direct filing of an action, the effect of the administrative objection on the time limit for filing suit, the court with subject-matter and territorial jurisdiction, and a request for a stay of execution should be assessed on the basis of the specific decision and notification. Filing an administrative objection does not, in every case, automatically allow the foreigner to continue working or keep the document in force.

Basic documents that should be in the objection file

• The refusal or cancellation decision and the notification record;
• The electronic application form and screen records of the application;
• The passport, the status of stay and the entry-exit documents;
• The contract, invitation, assignment, programme or institution letter specific to the exemption category;
• Documents showing the duration and scope of the activity;
• Records correcting any wrong identity, date, category or document assessment;
• The system record showing that the objection was delivered.

What consequences does exceeding the scope of the exemption have?

Going beyond the period, work, employer or activity may be treated as unauthorised work

If the work actually done differs from the activity in the exemption document, if the foreigner works for another employer or at another workplace, if the maximum period has been exceeded, or if work continues after the document’s validity has ended, the sanctions for unauthorised work under Law No. 6735 may come into play. The earlier existence of the document does not automatically make the later period lawful.

Administrative fines, deportation notification and employer liability

When unauthorised work is detected, administrative fines, notification to the Ministry of the Interior, and SGK and foreigners-law consequences may arise for the foreigner and the employer. The employer may also be held liable for the accommodation, return to the home country and, where necessary, the health expenses of the foreigner and certain family members. These consequences are distinct from the route of challenging an exemption refusal or cancellation decision. [1, m.23]

Pre-application checklist

Common mistakes

• Mistaking a visa or residence permit for a right to work;
• Using the 30-day application period or the 6-month Article 48(h) period left in an old official table as if it were the current provision;
• Treating the exemption document as valid for every employer and every duty;
• Assuming an extension application can be made and continuing to work after the document ends;
• Interpreting the fee exception for up to three months as removing the application and document requirement;
• Ignoring the obligations on SGK, pre-permits, professional qualification and notification because of the exemption;
• Thinking that family members automatically acquire a right of residence or work.

Conclusion

A work permit exemption is only an official work and stay document applied to a specific person, activity and period. The right legal path is to match the real nature of the work with the category in Article 48, to apply the current period and application rule, to document the activity and employer limit, and to follow the SGK and notification obligations separately. In particular, because of the amendment of 15 October 2024, some period and application wording in older authority texts should be compared with current law. If the document ends, is cancelled or its scope is exceeded, the work must be reassessed immediately; a later application does not retroactively make the earlier unauthorised period lawful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner with a work permit exemption work without obtaining a work permit?

Yes, but only within the activity, workplace/institution and period shown in the exemption document. Working in another duty or for another employer, or exceeding the period, may lead to the consequences of unauthorised work.

Must the exemption application be made within thirty days of entry into Türkiye?

Under the current Article 49(3) of the Regulation, an application from within Türkiye is made within the foreigner’s period of lawful stay. The old thirty-day wording is based on the provision before the amendment of 15 October 2024.

What is the period for a foreigner who makes an economic or technological contribution?

Under the current Article 48(1)(h), the maximum period is three years. The old six-month period was changed by the amendment of 15 October 2024.

Is a fee paid for a three-month exemption?

As a rule, no fee or document charge is collected for exemptions of three months or less. If the foreigner requests a physical document, a value-paper charge may arise; the system accrual should be checked.

Can an exemption document be extended?

There is no classic extension application. If the activity will continue, the category-specific repeat application and waiting rules are examined and a new application is made.

When can a new application be made for the same exemption?

There is a six-month wait after the end of the previous document in machinery-equipment work and cross-border service provision, and a twelve-month wait in the other general categories. Tour operator representatives and special categories are subject to their own provisions.

Does an exemption document replace a residence permit?

It counts as a residence permit while it is valid. However, when the exemption ends, if there is no separately valid residence permit, the basis of stay tied to it may also end.

Does an exemption give family members a right of residence?

No. The residence and work status of the spouse and children are subject to separate applications and conditions.

Does the exemption period count towards the indefinite work permit calculation?

As a rule, it does not. The Regulation provides that the period spent under an exemption is not included in the calculation of the statutory work and residence periods.

Is SGK registration made for an exemption holder?

The nature of the activity, the social security convention to which Türkiye is a party and Law No. 5510 are examined together. An exemption document does not automatically remove the SGK obligation.

Within what period can a refusal of the application be challenged?

An objection may be filed to the Ministry through the electronic system, with a reasoned petition and documents, within thirty days of notification of the decision. If the objection is rejected, the administrative judicial route is considered.

If the exemption period is exceeded, is only a fine imposed?

No. In addition to the fine, notification to the Ministry of the Interior, an assessment of deportation proceedings, SGK consequences and the employer’s liability for return, accommodation and health expenses may come into play.

Sources

1. Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force, in particular Articles 2, 3, 6, 13, 14 and 21-23. Official Gazette text.
2. Implementing Regulation of the International Labour Force Law, Official Gazette 02.02.2022, No. 31738; in particular Articles 47-56. Original published text.
3. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Work Permit Exemption Frequently Asked Questions. Official explanation.
4. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Types of Work Permit Exemption. Official explanation.
5. Regulation Amending the Implementing Regulation of the International Labour Force Law, Official Gazette 15.10.2024, No. 32693; amendments to Articles 48, 49 and 53.
6. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Table of Types and Periods of Work Permit Exemption. Official PDF.
7. Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, in particular Articles 27, 46 and 91. Current official text.
8. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Announcement on the New Work Permit System, 17.09.2026. Official announcement.
9. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, 2026 Work Permit/Exemption Fee and Value-Paper Charge. Official tariff.
10. Law No. 5510 on Social Insurance and General Health Insurance. Current official text.