When employment in Turkey is mentioned, the first institution that comes to mind is İŞKUR. Since its establishment, İŞKUR has played a role in employing thousands of people across many sectors and continues its work today. As unemployment rises, applications to İŞKUR have increased accordingly. İŞKUR offers a variety of programs to support employment; one of these is the On-the-Job Training Program. Below we will review the İŞKUR On-the-Job Training Program and the Preliminary Request Form.
What Is the İŞKUR On-the-Job Training Program?
The On-the-Job Training Program aims to reduce unemployment, increase practical professional experience, and enhance vocational competencies through hands-on practice alongside theoretical knowledge. Higher education students can also benefit from this program within the scope of internships. The program can be implemented at workplaces registered with İŞKUR that have at least two employees. İŞKUR’s primary goal with this program is to increase participants’ experience and professional competencies and to help employers address employment challenges through cooperation with İŞKUR. There are specific eligibility requirements for both employers and participants.
Who Can Benefit from the On-the-Job Training?
In general, anyone who is at least 15 years old and has been unemployed for the last six months can benefit from the On-the-Job Training Program. To participate, you must be registered with İŞKUR and be unemployed. You must not be a first- or second-degree relative of the employer, nor an existing employee of the employer. Applicants must not be retired and must not have worked in a social-security-covered job in the last three months.
You can optionally participate as an intern. In such cases, the internship location does not need to be in the same province as your school. Those seeking to use the program for a compulsory internship must apply to İŞKUR in person.
Program Structure and Content
The On-the-Job Training Program is implemented under the following conditions:
1. It is applied in workplaces with at least two insured employees.
2. Quotas are determined according to the number of employees. The quota does not need to be filled all at once; new requests can be made to İŞKUR up to three times per month.
3. The program may run for up to 320 days. The employer plans the schedule. Participants who wish to benefit from the program for a year must not have previously worked in any insured job.
4. The program is applied for at least 5 hours and at most 8 hours per day.
5. Participants receive a daily allowance of 54 TL. General health insurance (GSS) and short-term and long-term insurance premiums are paid by İŞKUR.
6. Any occupation can be included if the institution finds it suitable for the training program.
7. The workplace may find the participant directly.
8. When contracts are signed mutually, the number of insured employees at the end of the program must match the number in place when the program began.
Documents Required for the On-the-Job Training Program
To carry out the On-the-Job Training Program, both parties must prepare certain documents. Below is a list of the documents required from employers and trainees.
Documents Employers Must Prepare
- SGK accrual and service lists for the last three months including the current month (stamped and wet-signed by the company official)
- Signature circular of the company official
- Documentation of membership if the company belongs to any organization
- A declaration letter from the employer
- Workplace stamp
- Copy of the authorized person’s ID
- If there will be an in-house trainer, the trainer’s certificate and employment entry-exit document, if available
- Company Preliminary Request Form cover letter
- Preliminary Request Form (wet-signed and stamped)
- Employer’s undertaking (stamped and wet-signed)
- Trade Registry Gazette
- Power of attorney and signature circular for the person who will track the documents
- If the applying organization is a foundation, the foundation charter (original or notarized)
- Chamber registration certificate for the last month (e.g., Chamber of Commerce)
- Activity certificate issued within the last year (original or notarized)
Documents Trainees Must Prepare
- Copy of trainee’s ID card
- Copy of diploma or student certificate
- Passport-size photograph
- If the workplace involves hazardous work, a “Fit for Hazardous Work” report from a state hospital
- For compulsory internships, a document from the university certifying the required internship
- Service statement printout from SGK or e-Government
The İŞKUR Preliminary Request Form clearly details the program’s content and scope. Each province has a separate form available on İŞKUR’s platform, and all sections of the form must be completed without omission.
Please refer to official İŞKUR resources for the sample preliminary request forms and more detailed information provided by the institution.