When do I have to start working after my work permit is issued in Türkiye?
General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes decisions, confirm with the official institution in the next-step below, or consult a qualified Turkish lawyer.
Pending expert review. This fact is sourced but has not yet been reviewed by an independent legal expert. Treat as a starting point.
Two timelines apply, depending on where you applied from.
Application made inside Türkiye (yurtiçi): start work within 1 month of the permit's start date.
Application made from abroad (yurtdışı): enter Türkiye within 6 months of the permit's start date, then start work within 1 month of entering Türkiye.
Either way, social-security obligations under Law 5510 have to be fulfilled within the required window.
Special case for the SGK clock: if the permit document is delivered to the employer on a date different from the permit's start date, the 30-day SGK notification window runs from the delivery date, not the start date.
Watch-outs
- The 6-month entry rule is hard. A foreigner granted a permit from abroad who doesn't enter Türkiye within 6 months has the permit automatically cancelled under Law 6735 Article 12(2). No extension.
- Failing to start work on time triggers SGK reporting failures and can lead to permit cancellation. The two failure modes compound.
- The 30-day SGK registration is separate from the 15-day CSGB reporting in work-08. Meeting one doesn't satisfy the other.
Next step
Plan your entry to Türkiye well in advance of the 6-month deadline. Once in-country, contact your employer and SGK the same week to begin payroll registration within the 30-day window.
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