Job Discussion Forums

lyla · Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 17

Does anyone know if a bachelor degree is required for a visa to work in Turkey?

nrgstar2000 · Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

On the "paper"? Yes.
Practically? You don't even need a visa to work. most ESL teachers work without a visa (It's not their fault usually but that's another thread)

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

yes you need a univ degree and a TEFL cert in order to get a work visa.

babaoreiley · Joined: 24 Apr 2005 Posts: 39 Location: Chaska, MN

But can someone actually get a work visa in Turkey? From what I understand, almost none of the EFL teachers in Turkey have one. Does ET require that their employees have one, and do they aid them in getting a work visa?

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

I think almost none is an exaggeration, but true, a lot don't have them. I have heard that once you get a residence permit you can get a work visa without leaving the country, but we have not tested it out yet, as the guy in charge of getting residence permits is taking his own sweet time about it. The govt doesn't seem to know what it's doing and it is very confusing. Not impossible, but also not easy.

alterego · Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 104

this is in english:

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/eurpro/ankara/legislation/law4817.htm

http://www.alomaliye.com/yabanci_isci_calistir_ana_sayfa.htm

yaramaz · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 6:14 am Post subject:

I wouldnt say nobody has one- at my old school ALL the foreign teachers had a work permit (8 people over a 2 year period) and at my current school just over half do. More would have had one except the rules were rearranged this year and teachers were told to go back to their home countries to finalise the process (after applying from home then coming to Turkey) so those from Australia and the States etc couldnt complete the process. A few told me they plan to go home this summer and get it sorted out.

It is possible. You just need the right papers and a school who can and will sort things out for you.

calsimsek · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 775 Location: Ist Turkey

Molly's right, once you have a residence permit you don't have to worry about work visa much. They tend to start you off on a 1 year or 2 year permit. If you have been here for a while you can get a five year permit that comes with a work visa. After that you get ğ��man(?) permit which means you stay and work as long as you like.

babaoreiley · Joined: 24 Apr 2005 Posts: 39 Location: Chaska, MN

Ah, so it is possible to be a legal worker in Turkey. I was getting the impression that it was a virtual impossibility. Thanks for the reassurance that that is not the case.

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

i wonder how the later 5-yr permit works. For example, I went in to the emniyet with the tapu to my house, having been told by someone that I could get a 10-yr ikamet, but they only gave it as long as my passport. Would that be true for the 5-yr permit? BTW, I've been here 8 yrs but was illegal off and on for about 3, so I started from scratch again Sad

scb222 · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Brisvegas, Oz

I've been told that you can't get a residence permit without FIRST having a work permit. But it seems as though you don't need to get the work visa in your home country, you just need to visit the SAME Embassy twice with an approx. 6-8 week period. The first time to apply for the visa, the 2nd to have it stamped. I'm learning about all this as I apply for a job in Turkey. It's quite a process isn't it??!! Doesn't exactly encourage legallity!!!