Can international students work in Türkiye? The 2026 rules

Who may work while studying in Türkiye, and from when

International students in full-time (örgün) programmes at a Turkish university may work, but only with a work permit¹². When you may start depends on your degree level.

The ministry checks your student status against YÖK records, the national higher-education database⁴. Applications for domestic-service jobs, such as cleaning or care work in private homes, are evaluated negatively⁴.

Scholarship holders face one extra step. For Türkiye Bursları scholars the ministry asks for the opinion of YTB, and for YÖK scholarship students it asks YÖK⁴. Check your scholarship terms before you accept a job. Our page on scholarships in Türkiye explains the main programmes and their terms.

Getting a work permit does not cancel your student residence permit¹². You stay a student, and the permit simply adds the right to work for one employer. Neither a Turkish student visa nor a student residence permit gives the right to work on its own¹.

The "24 hours a week" rule is not current law

Many websites still say students may work up to 24 hours a week. That figure comes from the old text of Law 6458, article 41³.

In 2016, Law 6735 replaced that sentence. The article now says the rules on student work are set by the relevant laws, and a 2018 decree added presidential decrees³. No fixed weekly number appears in the current text, and the ministry's evaluation criteria give none either⁴.

You may also hear about a 15-hour weekly limit. That figure is sometimes quoted from universities' own campus job schemes, not from the work permit law. Ask your university's international office if you take a campus job.

How a student gets a work permit, step by step

You do not apply for the permit yourself. The employer applies online through the ministry's e-İzin system². The permit is tied to that employer and that workplace¹.

1. 1

   Check that you qualify

   You need a residence permit valid for at least six more months and a foreign ID number starting with 99². Bachelor and associate students must have finished their first year¹.

2. 2

   Agree the job and sign a contract

   The employment contract is signed by both you and the employer and is uploaded to the application¹³.

3. 3

   Check your passport

   Your passport needs at least 60 days of validity left¹. A copy is uploaded, with a sworn translation if it is not in Latin script¹³.

4. 4

   The employer files in e-İzin

   The employer applies from inside Türkiye and needs an electronic notification address (e-tebligat)².

5. 5

   Wait for the decision

   The ministry decides within 30 days if the file is complete. Missing documents can pause the file for up to 30 days, after which it is rejected¹.

6. 6

   Pay the fees within 30 days

   After approval, the permit fee and the card fee are paid separately within 30 days of notification, or the application is rejected⁵.

7. 7

   Start work only after approval

   The first permit lasts up to one year and never longer than the contract. Later extensions can run up to two and then three years¹.

• Residence permit valid for at least six more months²
• Foreign ID number starting with 99²
• Employment contract signed by you and the employer¹³
• Passport copy, with sworn translation if not in Latin script¹³
• Diploma only if the job is a regulated profession¹³

What a work permit costs in 2026, and what illegal work costs

Fees and fines are revalued every year. The figures below apply from 1 January 2026 and were checked in October 2026⁵⁶. Re-check them on the ministry pages before you pay.

Net monthly minimum wage, 2026⁷

28,075.50 TL

Work permit fee, up to 1 year, 2026⁵

12,574.90 TL

Work permit card fee, 2026⁵

964 TL

Employer fine per foreigner without a permit, 2026⁶

102,503 TL

A repeat violation doubles the fine¹. The 2026 minimum wage is 33,030 TL gross and 28,075.50 TL net per month⁷. Agree your hourly or monthly pay in writing before you start.

Why working without a permit is not worth the risk

A job without a permit also comes without a legal contract you can rely on if something goes wrong.

Before you accept any offer, ask the employer one direct question: will you apply for my work permit in e-İzin? If the answer is no, the job is not legal for you.

Compulsory internships need an exemption certificate

If your curriculum requires an internship (zorunlu staj), you do not need a work permit for it. You do need a work permit exemption certificate (çalışma izni muafiyeti) for the internship period².

Unlike the work permit, you apply for the exemption yourself, through the ministry's e-muafiyet system². Apply before the internship starts, so your insurance record is in order from the first day.

The exemption certificate uses the same fee table as the work permit, plus the 964 TL card fee⁵⁸. Time spent on an exemption counts toward neither work permit nor residence permit periods¹.

Staying in Türkiye after graduation

Your student residence permit ends with your studies. Two legal routes let you stay and look for work or start a job. If you plan to work back home instead, check early how your country treats recognition of Turkish university degrees.

The graduate short-term residence permit

Under Law 6458, article 31(1)(i), a foreigner who completed higher education in Türkiye can get a short-term residence permit. You must apply within six months of your graduation date³. This application can be made from inside Türkiye³.

The law grants this permit only once and for at most one year³. You also need to meet the general short-term conditions: documents showing your reason for staying, suitable housing and an address, and a criminal record if asked³. For the full application process, see our residence permit guide.

A work permit within one year of graduating

Graduates of Turkish universities may apply for a work permit within one year of their graduation date¹. The application is evaluated under principles set by the International Labour Force Policy Advisory Board, and limits by sector, province or field of study may apply¹². As with students, the employer files the application.

A work permit also serves as your residence permit, so you do not need a separate one while it is valid¹³.

The Turkuaz Kart, in honest terms

The Turkuaz Kart is for qualified foreigners. It is judged on education, professional experience, contribution to science and technology, and effect on the economy and jobs¹. After a three-year transition period, holders can get an indefinite card, and spouses and children receive residence rights¹.

Final-year bachelor students and full-time postgraduate students who are exceptionally successful in their field or research may apply¹⁴. The standing of your university is one scoring factor among several, alongside wage, experience and languages¹⁴. There is no automatic route for graduates, and no current official pass mark is published, so treat it as a goal for strong profiles, not a plan.

Finding legal part-time work as a student in Türkiye

1. Wait until you are eligible: bachelor and associate students should start looking near the end of their first year¹.
2. Ask your university's career centre and international office first. They know employers who have hired foreign students before.
3. Look for employers that already employ foreigners, such as international firms, hotels, language schools and tech companies. They already know the e-İzin process.
4. Raise the work permit in the first conversation. Agree in writing that the employer will apply, and note the 30-day deadline for paying the fees⁵.
5. Check that your residence permit has at least six months left before the employer files².
6. Keep your studies first: your residence still rests on being an active student, and a work permit does not change that¹.

If an offer looks unclear, Turkademy can check it or your permit file with you before you sign, and refer legal questions to a licensed lawyer. For budgeting how much part-time income really covers, see our student cost of living guide. If you have not chosen a university yet, our guide to applying to Turkish universities covers admission step by step.