Due to increased migration to our country, particularly from Syria and surrounding regions, the rate of undeclared employment has risen significantly. In response, authorities have launched numerous security checks and inspection operations. Measures have been strengthened not only for undocumented workers but also for those being registered.
The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Labor continues to enhance security measures to protect the rights of employers, employees, income and tax through new initiatives. Recently, the Ministry announced on its official website that a biometric photograph is now required for work permit applications submitted by foreign nationals.
From now on, work permit applications for foreign nationals must include biometric photographs. The photo submitted for a foreign applicant must have been taken within the last six months. It must be a frontal shot that clearly shows the applicant’s face, allowing easy identification. The background must be white, and the face alignment must meet biometric standards.
Applications that do not meet these requirements—for example, photos with different colored backgrounds or images where the face cannot be clearly identified—will be deemed invalid and will not be processed.
This measure, effective from February 9, aims to strengthen security in the work permit process for foreign nationals. Many local companies and businesses in our country hire foreign employees. Employers who recruit foreign staff must apply to the Ministry of Labor for a work permit on their behalf.
The Directorate General of International Labor announced this requirement on January 9, 2017, and the information was published on the official website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
Employers who intend to hire foreign workers can obtain the work permit application form and the list of required documents for foreign work permits from the institution’s official website. After all forms are fully completed by the relevant parties, they must be submitted to the authority together with the biometric photograph. The institution evaluates the submitted documents and, if all information and documentation are found to be in order, grants the work permit to the foreign national.