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Independent and Indefinite Work Permits in Turkey: Working Without an Employer Sponsor

By Av. Talha Yayla · October 11, 2026 · 11 min read

Turkey (Türkiye) has two work permits that are not tied to an employer: the independent work permit, which lets a foreigner work on their own account, and the indefinite work permit, which lets a foreigner work without any time limit. The indefinite permit can be applied for by foreigners who hold a long-term residence permit or who have worked lawfully in Turkey for at least eight years; the independent permit may be granted to members of the professions, subject to the conditions in other laws. Both are governed by Article 10 of the International Labour Force Law (No. 6735), and neither is an entitlement.

This guide explains what each permit is, who can apply, how the eight years are counted, what rights follow, and how the permits are lost.

Indefinite work permit: for holders of a long-term residence permit or at least 8 years of lawful work-permit time (Art. 10(3)).
No absolute right: meeting the conditions does not guarantee the permit (Art. 10(3)).
Rights: all rights of a long-term residence permit and those of Turkish citizens, except voting, standing for election, public service and military service (Art. 10(4)).
Independent work permit: for professionals working on their own account, subject to special conditions in other laws (Art. 10(6)).
Assessment criteria: education, experience, contribution to science and technology, economic and employment impact, capital share (Art. 10(7)).
Duration of independent permit: fixed-term, without the 1–2–3 year limits (Art. 10(8)).
Absence limit: more than one continuous year outside Turkey leads to cancellation (Art. 15(2)(ğ)).

Legal status of this guide. It reflects Law No. 6735 as currently in force. Application procedures and document lists are set by the implementing regulation and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Last updated: October 2026.

The types of work permit at a glance

Permit	Who applies	Tied to an employer?	Duration	Basis
Fixed-term (ordinary)	The employer	Yes — a specific workplace and job	Up to 1 year first; up to 2 on first renewal; up to 3 afterwards	Art. 10(1)–(2)
Indefinite	The foreigner	No	No time limit	Art. 10(3)–(4)
Independent	The foreigner	No — own account	Fixed-term, set case by case	Art. 10(6)–(8)
Turquoise Card	The foreigner	No	3-year transition, then indefinite	Art. 11
Work permit exemption	Employer or foreigner, depending on category	Depends	As stated in the exemption document	Art. 13

Every work permit and exemption counts as a residence permit for its period of validity (Art. 12(1); Law No. 6458, Art. 27). The reverse is not true: a residence permit gives no right to work.

The indefinite work permit

The law defines the indefinite work permit as the permit that gives a foreigner the right to work in Turkey without limit of time (Art. 3(1)(g)). Under Article 10(3), it may be applied for by foreigners who have, in Turkey:

a long-term residence permit, or
at least eight years of lawful work-permit time.

The same paragraph adds that fulfilling the application conditions does not give the foreigner an absolute right. The application is assessed under the international labour force policy like any other, and the general refusal grounds in Article 9 apply — including refusal where the Interior Ministry reports a migration-law obstacle or where there is a public order or security objection.

The two gateways are alternatives. A foreigner who has lived in Turkey for eight years on residence permits and holds a long-term residence permit can apply without eight years of work; a foreigner who has worked for eight years on work permits can apply without holding a long-term residence permit.

Counting the eight years

"Lawful work-permit time" is defined as the time during which the foreigner worked with a work permit while fulfilling their legal obligations (Art. 3(1)(e)). Three consequences follow:

Only time on a work permit counts. Time spent in Turkey on a residence permit, a student permit or as a visitor does not.
Obligations must have been met. The period is measured against social security records. Months in which the foreigner held a permit but was not registered and insured as working are open to challenge.
Exemption time does not count. Periods spent under a work permit exemption are not taken into account in calculating lawful work-permit time or residence permit periods (Art. 13(6)).

The statute does not say that the eight years must be uninterrupted, but gaps matter in practice: an ordinary permit is cancelled when the employment ends (Art. 15(2)(ç)) or when the holder stays outside Turkey for more than six consecutive months (Art. 15(2)(ğ)), and periods between permits are not work-permit time. Keep the complete chain of permit cards and a social security service record (hizmet dökümü) to prove the period.

For the alternative gateway, the long-term residence permit requires eight years of uninterrupted residence on a permit, no social assistance in the last three years, sufficient and regular income, health insurance, and not being a threat to public order or security (Law No. 6458, Art. 42–43). In that calculation, half of the time on student permits and the whole of the time on other residence permits is counted (Art. 28(2)).

Architectural floor plans, glasses and a pen on a wooden desk — Only time actually worked on a work permit, with social security obligations met, counts towards the eight years.

Rights under an indefinite permit

Article 10(4) sets out the status of a foreigner holding an indefinite work permit:

they benefit from all the rights provided by a long-term residence permit;
subject to the provisions of special laws, and without prejudice to acquired social security rights and to the legislation governing the exercise of those rights, they benefit from the rights granted to Turkish citizens;
they have no right to vote or stand for election, no right to enter public service, and no obligation to perform military service.

What this means in daily life:

no renewal applications and no dependence on an employer's sponsorship;
freedom to change employer or to take up work without a new permit, within professions open to foreigners;
a secure right of residence, since the permit itself serves as a residence permit;
continued exclusion from professions that special laws reserve to Turkish citizens.

An indefinite work permit is not citizenship and can still be cancelled on the grounds described below.

The independent work permit

The independent work permit is the permit that gives a foreigner the right to work in Turkey in their own name and on their own account (Art. 3(1)(a)). Article 10(6) provides that it may be granted to foreigners who are members of a profession, provided the special conditions set out in other laws are met.

In assessing an application under the labour force policy, the Ministry takes into account (Art. 10(7)):

the foreigner's level of education;
professional experience;
contribution to science and technology;
the effect of the activity or investment in Turkey on the national economy and on employment;
if the foreigner is a company partner, the capital share;
other matters determined by the Ministry in line with the recommendations of the International Labour Force Policy Advisory Board.

The permit is issued for a fixed term and is not subject to the one-, two- and three-year limits that apply to employer-tied permits (Art. 10(8)). The decision is notified to the foreigner personally, not to an employer (Art. 21(1)).

Who can realistically obtain one

The independent permit is frequently misunderstood as a general "freelance visa". It is narrower than that.

It is for professionals with a real, documented activity in Turkey — a practice, a studio, a consultancy — whose value can be shown under the Article 10(7) criteria.
The "special conditions in other laws" are a real barrier. Several professions are reserved by their own statutes to Turkish citizens or require membership of a Turkish professional body, recognition of the foreign qualification, or both. Where a profession is closed to foreigners, no work permit can open it; applications for jobs and professions reserved to Turkish citizens are refused (Art. 9(1)(ç)).
Engineers and architects who hold recognised qualifications may practise on the basis of a project-based, temporary work permit (Art. 20).
Company founders usually take a different route. Managing partners of limited companies and board-member shareholders of joint stock companies work on the basis of a work permit applied for through their own company (Art. 10(5)), which is the more common structure for foreign entrepreneurs.
Remote workers for foreign clients are not the target group. A person whose clients and income are entirely abroad has little to show under the criteria of economic and employment impact in Turkey.

An application should therefore be built around evidence: qualifications and their recognition, a business plan, premises, contracts with Turkish clients, tax registration, projected turnover and any employment to be created.

Obligations of permit holders

Notification. Foreigners with an indefinite or independent work permit must notify the Ministry within fifteen days of the start and end of their work and of circumstances that would require cancellation of the permit (Art. 22(1)). Failure to notify is punished by an administrative fine (Art. 23(5)(a)).
Social security. Obligations under social security legislation must be fulfilled within the statutory periods under Law No. 5510 (Art. 22(2)); self-employed permit holders are responsible for their own registration and contributions.
Passport. A permit is issued for a period sixty days shorter than the validity of the passport (Art. 24(1)), and a permit is cancelled if the passport's validity is not extended, unless the Interior or Foreign Ministry approves (Art. 15(2)(b)).
Tax and professional rules applicable to the activity.

Cancellation and absence from Turkey

An indefinite or independent work permit is cancelled, other than at the holder's request, where the foreigner (Art. 15(2)):

does not come to Turkey within six months of the permit's start date;
does not extend the passport's validity;
is found to be working in breach of the law;
is later found to have applied with false or misleading information or documents;
is reported by the Interior Ministry as falling within Articles 7, 15 or 54 of Law No. 6458;
is reported as objectionable on public order, security or health grounds;
stays outside Turkey for more than one continuous year, other than for force majeure such as health reasons or compulsory public service.

The one-year absence rule is twice as generous as the six-month rule for ordinary fixed-term permits, but it is absolute in its effect: a holder who relocates abroad and returns after thirteen months will find the permit cancelled, and the eight years will have to be established again.

Close to eight years of work in Turkey, or planning to practise on your own account? Send your permit history or a short description of your profession and planned activity. Message Yayla Law on WhatsApp or use the contact form.

Refusal and remedies

Refusals and cancellations of independent and indefinite work permits are notified to the foreigner (Art. 21(1)). An objection can be made to the Ministry within 30 days of notification, and if it is rejected the decision can be taken to the administrative court (Art. 21(2)). Because both permits are discretionary, a court reviews whether the conditions and criteria were applied correctly and whether the reasons given are factually sound; it does not grant the permit. See Work Permit Rejected in Turkey.

Typical refusal reasons: work-permit time that falls short of eight years once uninsured months and exemption periods are removed; a profession closed to foreigners; an activity with no demonstrable effect in Turkey; a migration or security record.

Which route fits your situation

Your situation	Route to consider
Employee, fewer than eight years on work permits	Renew the ordinary permit in time; keep the chain unbroken
Employee, eight years or more on work permits	Indefinite work permit
Eight years' residence on permits, now holding a long-term residence permit	Indefinite work permit
Professional wishing to practise on own account in a profession open to foreigners	Independent work permit
Founder or partner managing a Turkish company	Work permit through the company (Art. 10(5))
Exceptional qualifications or major investment	Turquoise Card
Married to a Turkish citizen and living together in Turkey	Ordinary permit on relaxed criteria (Art. 16(1)(g))

Frequently asked questions

What is an indefinite work permit in Turkey?

It is a work permit with no time limit, available to foreigners who hold a long-term residence permit or have at least eight years of lawful work-permit time in Turkey. It is not tied to an employer and gives the holder the rights of a long-term residence permit.

How many years do I need for an indefinite work permit?

At least eight years of lawful work-permit time, meaning time worked with a work permit while fulfilling legal obligations such as social security. Alternatively, holding a long-term residence permit, which itself requires eight years of uninterrupted residence.

Is the indefinite work permit granted automatically after eight years?

No. The law states that meeting the application conditions does not give an absolute right. The application is assessed under the labour force policy and can be refused on the general grounds, including security objections.

What is an independent work permit?

It is a permit allowing a foreigner to work in Turkey in their own name and on their own account. It may be granted to members of a profession, provided the special conditions in other laws are met, and is assessed on education, experience, and the economic impact of the activity.

Can freelancers get an independent work permit in Turkey?

Only where they have a genuine professional activity in Turkey that can be documented and their profession is open to foreigners. It is not a general permit for remote work for foreign clients, and several professions are reserved by law to Turkish citizens.

Does time under a work permit exemption count towards the eight years?

No. Periods spent under a work permit exemption are not taken into account in calculating lawful work-permit time or residence permit periods.

Can I change jobs with an indefinite work permit?

Yes. The indefinite permit is not tied to a specific employer or workplace. Professions reserved by special laws for Turkish citizens remain closed.

How long can I stay outside Turkey with an indefinite or independent permit?

Staying outside Turkey for more than one continuous year, other than for force majeure such as health reasons or compulsory public service, leads to cancellation of the permit.

Can holders of an indefinite work permit vote in Turkey?

No. They benefit from the rights granted to Turkish citizens with specified exceptions: they cannot vote or stand for election, cannot enter public service, and have no military service obligation.

Legal basis and sources

International Labour Force Law No. 6735, Articles 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 20–24 — official consolidated text at mevzuat.gov.tr.
Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, Articles 27, 28 and 42–45.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Directorate General of International Labour Force — csgb.gov.tr/uigm.

This article provides general legal information on Turkish law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Whether a particular profession is open to foreigners depends on its own legislation; check before applying.