In General
On 13 August 2016, Law No: 6735 on the International Work Force (the "Law") has come into force, abrogating Law No: 4817 on the Work Permits for the Foreigners which was in effect since 2003.
The Law sets out rules regarding obtaining work permits and exemptions for foreign citizens applying in Turkey or from abroad. The aim of the Law is to effectively combat the illegal foreign workforce, to facilitate obtaining work permits for foreign managers and qualified technical staff, to attract foreign investment by flexing the work permit scheme and to comply with the EU acquis as well as international conventions.
The Law sets out novelties such as turquoise card which entitles its holder rights granted by the indefinite term work permit and right to reside in Turkey for his/her spouse and children.
Scope of the Law
The Law covers foreigners who work or apply to work in Turkey, who are being trained or who apply to be trained by an employer in Turkey, who do or apply to do an internship in Turkey or who are foreign cross-border temporary service providers; as well as natural or legal persons who employ or apply to employ foreign citizens. The Law also covers those who are exempted from obtaining work permits.
Secondary Legislation
We expect a secondary legislation on the Law to be published in the upcoming days in order to set out a detailed scheme of its application.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.