From 1 January 2017, employers must enrol all employees into an Individual Pension System if they are under 45 year's old and Turkish citizens. Employees can terminate their enrolment in the pension scheme within two months of being notified of their enrolment (more). Further details of the transition schedule and how the scheme will work have now been announced via secondary legislation.

The Regulation Regarding Procedures and Principles of Auto-Enrolment of the Employees to the Employee Pension Scheme by Their Employers ("Regulation") was published in Official Gazette number 29936 on 2 January 2017, effective from 1 January 2017.

The Regulation outlines details of:

  • A gradual transition schedule
  • Which workplaces and employees are included in the scheme
  • The contribution amount to be deducted from employee salaries.
  • The procedures and principles regarding how the scheme will work.

Accordingly, employees will be gradually and automatically included in the scheme pursuant to the following calendar.

Date Employee Category
1 January 2017 Private sector employees working for employers with 1,000 or more employees.
1 April 2017
  • Private sector employees working for employers with 250 to 999 employees.
  • Public sector employees working in central public administrations and social security institutions.
1 July 2017 Private sector employees working employers with 100 to 249 employees.
1 January 2018
  • Private sector employees working for employers with 50 to 99 employees.
  • Public sector employees working in local administrations and public economic enterprises.
1 July 2018 Private sector employees working for employers with 10 to 49 employees.
1 January 2019 Private sector employees working for employers with 5 to 9 employees

When determining the number of employees, all employees of the same employer should be counted and added together, including employees working at different locations.

The employee contribution amount is 3% of the base salary to premiums or base salary to pension contributions, respectively. The contribution amount will be deducted from the employee's salary and transferred to the related pension company.

Salary paid to the employee for works done before the employee was included in the scheme cannot be subject to any contribution deductions.

Please see this link for full text of the Regulation (only available in Turkish).

Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.

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.