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Work permit exemption for a qualifying short activity

TurkeyWork

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

The exemption covers defined short activities for which no work permit is needed, for example foreigners with permanent residence abroad visiting temporarily for scientific studies or cultural and artistic activities for less than a month or for sporting activities for less than four months, and those coming to install, maintain or repair imported machinery and equipment, train in its use or transport defective equipment, provided the total stay does not exceed three months within a year and this is documented.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list is framed under Article 55 of the regulation under Law No. 4817; the Ministry of Labour states that exemptions now arise under Article 13 of Law No. 6735 and its Implementing Regulation, whose list is not captured, so the MFA list may not be current.
  • The list is not reproduced in full.
  • https://www.mfa.gov.tr/general-information-about-turkish-visas.en.mfa
    - Article 55 of the Law Enforcement Regulation on Working Permits of Foreigners no. 4817 regulating working permit exemptions, the extent and the lengths of time the foreigners are exempt from working permit are stated. Those who meet the requirements below do not need to obtain a work permit.
  • https://www.mfa.gov.tr/general-information-about-turkish-visas.en.mfa
    b) the foreigners holding permanent residences abroad and wishing to visit Türkiye temporarily with purposes of scientific studies, cultural and artistic activities for a period shorter than a month and with the aim of sporting activities for a period less than four months,
  • https://www.mfa.gov.tr/general-information-about-turkish-visas.en.mfa
    c) For the purpose of installation, maintenance and repair of machinery and equipment imported to Türkiye, providing training for their utilization or transporting of defective equipment from Türkiye and provided that they do not exceed the total stay of three months within a year as of the date of entry into Türkiye and verify this condition with the documents that they will submit, the ones coming to Türkiye,

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

The exemption applies on condition that both the foreigner and the employer fulfil their obligations under other laws. Some listed activities are tied to a trade relationship, for example training in the use of goods and services exported from or imported to Türkiye for up to three months in total within a year, documented by the foreigner.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list is framed under Article 55 of the regulation under Law No. 4817; the Ministry of Labour states that exemptions now arise under Article 13 of Law No. 6735 and its Implementing Regulation, whose list is not captured, so the MFA list may not be current.
  • The page does not state whether the employer or host applies for the exemption, nor who submits documents.

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

What distinguishes these exemptions is a short, defined duration for a listed activity rather than an occupation or salary test: for example entertainers and performers at fairs and circuses outside certified tourism establishments for up to six months, persons notified to the authorities as providing important socio-cultural, technological or educational services for up to six months, and tour operator representatives with a contract of up to eight months.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list is framed under Article 55 of the regulation under Law No. 4817; the Ministry of Labour states that exemptions now arise under Article 13 of Law No. 6735 and its Implementing Regulation, whose list is not captured, so the MFA list may not be current.
  • No salary, qualification or skill-level criterion is stated.

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

Specific groups of foreigners are within the work permit exemption under Article 13 of Law No. 6735, and a work permit exemption substitutes for a residence permit under Article 27 of Law No. 6458. Under the MFA's Article 55 description, residence permits of those coming under the exemption are issued as short-term residence permits by the Provincial Directorate of Migration Administration; exemption periods cannot be extended and can be used only once per calendar year, with three months required since the expiry of a previous permit for the same purpose; working longer requires a work visa through the Ministry of Labour.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list is framed under Article 55 of the regulation under Law No. 4817; the Ministry of Labour states that exemptions now arise under Article 13 of Law No. 6735 and its Implementing Regulation, whose list is not captured, so the MFA list may not be current.
  • The pages do not state whether family members may accompany an exempted foreigner.
  • The two pages describe the residence effect differently (short-term residence permit versus the exemption itself substituting for a residence permit).
  • https://www.csgb.gov.tr/uigm/en/general-information/yabancilara-duzenlenen-belgeler/
    Pursuant to Article 13 of the Law No. 6735 on International Labour Force, specific groups of foreigners are considered within the scope of work permit exemption. As with work permits, work permit exemption substitutes for residence permit as per Article 27 of Law No. 6458.
  • https://www.mfa.gov.tr/general-information-about-turkish-visas.en.mfa
    - Within the scope of article 55, residence permits of the foreigners coming to Türkiye are given as “Short Term" residence permits by Provincial Directorate of Migration Administration. Exemption periods cannot be extended, the foreigners under this provision can make use of exemption rules only once within one calendar year.
  • https://www.mfa.gov.tr/general-information-about-turkish-visas.en.mfa
    However, it is required that it must have been three months as of the expiry date of the residence permit granted to the foreigner with the same purpose in order to exercise this right. In case of the need of working longer than the exemption period allows, the foreigner has to obtain a work visa through the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

The document form depends on the exemption length. For three months or longer, a Work Permit Exemption Document is issued as a card sent to the application address, and the proof document is valid for at most three months from the start date; for shorter exemptions only a Proof Document of Work Permit Exemption is issued unless a card is requested. The seasonal agricultural exemption certificate is issued for up to one year. The official source does not state a general maximum duration or renewal procedure.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • This page does not state a general maximum duration or renewal procedure for work permit exemptions outside the seasonal agricultural case.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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