Employment taxes

• Income tax (progressive): 15% to 40%, withheld by the employer. The 2025 brackets for employment income start at 15% up to TRY 158,000, then 20%, 27%, 35%, and 40% at the top end.
• Employee social security (SGK): 14%
• Employee unemployment insurance: 1%
• Stamp tax: commonly referenced at 0.759% on wages/salary payments.

Leave policy

• Annual leave increases with seniority. Many employers follow the common 14/20/26-day structure by years of service.
• Public holidays: Turkey celebrates 14 national public holidays.
• Sick leave: Employees are entitled to 1 week of paid sick leave covered by the social security. It can be extended, but unpaid.
• Maternity leave: Mother are entitled to 16 weeks of partially paid maternity leave (two-thirds of the salary) covered by the social security.
• Paternity leave: Fathers get 5 days of fully paid paternity leave covered by the employer.
• Parental leave: No law covers parental leave.

Employment termination

• Legal grounds: By mutual agreement, expiry of a fixed-term contract, employer termination with notice for a valid reason (employee performance/behavior or business/operational needs like redundancy/restructuring).
• Notice period: From 2-8 weeks depending on tenure.
• Severance pay is calculated as roughly 30 days of last gross salary per year (pro-rated) for eligible employees (at least 1 year with the same employer).

Hiring and contracts

• Contract types: fixed-term and indefinite-term are both used
• Contracts should include: role, salary, working hours, location/remote setup, benefits, notice, confidentiality, and any bonus/commission terms.
• Contracts must be in Turkish, but can be bilingual.
• Probation period: Maximum 2 months.

Payroll and salary payments

• Pay frequency: commonly monthly.
• Currency: salaries are generally paid in Turkish lira (TRY)
• National minimum wage (2025): TRY 26,005.50 gross/month.
• Payslips are mandatory, showing pay period, supplements (like overtime/holiday pay), and deductions (tax/insurance, etc.).

Benefits

Mandatory:

• SGK social security coverage (pension/health/unemployment framework via contributions)
• Paid annual leave + public holidays (per statutory rules).

Optional:

• Private health insurance top-up
• Meal card (yemek kartı)
• Transport allowance
• Remote-work stipend (internet/equipment)
• Training budget (English, certifications, conferences)

Monthly living cost (Ankara Edition)

• Rent (city center, 1-bed): TRY 18,000-30,000 (€358-598 / $420-700)
• Utilities: TRY 1,800-4,000 (€35-79 / $42-93)
• Internet (monthly): TRY 382 (€8 / $9)
• Public transport (monthly pass): TRY 757 (€15 / $18)
• Groceries (1 person, mid-range estimate): TRY 4,500-8,000 (€90-€160 / $105-$187)

Have in mind that Istanbul is around 50% more expensive than Ankara.

How to get a local ID number (YKN)

• The Foreign ID Number in Turkey (Yabancı Kimlik Numarası - YKN), is a unique 11-digit identification number assigned to foreign nationals by the Turkish government.
• The most common path to obtaining a Turkish foreign ID is through the residence permit system.
• Once you're registered, the YKN will be generated.

Social security registration

Your employer is responsible for registering you with SGK and then handle ongoing monthly contributions.

Banking

• For opening a bank account you will need passport, proof of address, and either a Foreigner ID or Tax ID.
• Popular banks are: İş Bankası, Garanti BBVA, Akbank, Yapı Kredi, Ziraat Bankası, Halkbank, VakıfBank.

Housing and rental process

• Lease agreement duration: Most rentals are signed for 1 year and renewed annually.
• Deposit amount: Typically 1 month, but you’ll often see 1-3 months depending on the property
• Tenant rights: Rent increases are legally regulated, and the landlord generally can’t just end the lease without a lawful reason and proper process. Tenants also have protections around the return of the deposit.

Healthcare system

• Public healthcare is generally safe and reliable, and affordable once you’re covered, but it can come with queues and slower appointment times in busy cities.
• Social Security Institution coverage: Employees are enrolled through mandatory contributions, which gives you access to public hospitals and also some contracted private providers.
• Most people rely on the public system by default because it’s the standard coverage, but private hospitals are widely used (especially in major cities) for faster service and comfort, and many people mix both depending on the situation.

Driving and public transport

• If you’re a foreign national, you can typically drive in Turkey with a valid foreign driving licence for up to 6 months from entry, after that, you’ll need to convert.
• In Istanbul, traffic is busy and congestion is common, Ankara is generally more relaxed by comparison.
• Public transport is a real everyday option and it relies on metro/tram/bus + ferries (in Istanbul).

Emergency and important contacts

• National emergency line (ambulance/fire/police dispatch): 112

Work permit and visa requirements

• Foreign nationals need work visa and work permit to work legally in Turkey.
• Even though the work permit is the main authorization to work, many foreign nationals first need a visa to travel to Turkey - most commonly a Work Visa. This visa is for people who already secured a job and plan to apply for a work permit, and it’s typically obtained from a Turkish embassy/consulate in your home country.
• The work permit process usually starts shortly after the work visa application is submitted or approved, and it’s commonly initiated by the employer in Turkey on the foreign national’s behalf.
• The employer acts as the sponsor and must show they have the legal and financial capacity to hire the foreign national and that they meet the Ministry of Labour and Social Security criteria for employing foreign workers.

Business culture and work norms

• Relationships matter. People like to “warm up” before going straight into deals.
• Hierarchy can be real (titles and seniority count), but day-to-day teams can be very modern, especially in tech.
• Meetings may run late, decisions may happen fast, and plans can change. Flexibility is a career skill.