Job Discussion Forums

[eclectic]

and no teaching/work permit. Will this also get you deported?

[bulgogiboy]

If the authorities catch you, then yes. Plus you would probably have to pay a fine of 2-3,000 liras or more.

[toyiki]

I taught in Istanbul for 10 years, and I also know many many teachers who are doing so now on a 3 month visa, and noone has ever been caught. I also know of some international pre schools that hire teachers but dont hire them legally and those teachers also dont have work permits, or are married to Turkish husbands but dont have the necessary qualifications other than beeing a native speaker and having experience.
Does anyone know of people who have been caught, fined and /or deported?

[bulgogiboy]

About half my time in Turkey was working illegally, and the other half of my stay I worked legally, once I changed employers. As you said, it's common practice to work without the proper permit in Turkey, and the chances of being prosecuted are fairly small. However, now and again westerners do get deported and/or fined for working without permission. I've only heard of one case myself, which resulted in deportation and a 1 year ban from Turkey(with a possible fine that had to be paid on re-entry).

The OP asked if working on a residence permit would get him deported and as I said, if he were caught by the authorities it would. In reality, he would most likely just work away quietly and he and his management would keep an eye out for people coming round to snoop. I can't speak for other places where people have worked illegally but all I can say is that in ET in Ankara the people from various gov agencies came round fairly regularly, with us either having to skulk about quietly or actually leave the building quickly. One time all the foreign teachers in the building had to leave quickly and stay out for quite a while, whilst the man snooped around the school. It didnt feel particularly nice at all, in fact I felt like..well, an illegal worker!

If anyone wants to go and work illegally in Turkey then fine, I wish them all the best, they most likely wont get caught. Just remember that regardless of how lax the employment laws in Turkey may seem to be, they are still the laws, and if you break them and get caught you wont have a leg to stand on.

[coffeespoonman]

Meanwhile, the border police smile and say "Gor�ş�r�z, hocam" when the teachers make their routine exits to Bulgaria.

Teaching on a residence permit, or less, is pretty much common practice for a newcomer to Turkey until they get into a responsible school who will provide a work visa. It's not ideal, of course, but overwhelmingly common. The chances of anything happening are very, very low.

Now, if you make the cops angry about something... That's a different story.

Of the two guys I know who got deported for teaching illegally, one accused his landlord of theft and got ratted out and the other got in an argument with his girlfriend and got ratted out.

Moral of the story: Pay your rent on time and don't piss off Turkish girls

(though I recall that the OP is married anyways)

[bulgogiboy]

[misterkodak]

I worked illegally for the first 3 months and then I found a company that sponsored me. I know people who have been busted for working illegally and deported. One got into a fight in Taksim and picked up by the cops , one did a runner from a job and his old firm had him busted, and the third was stupid enough to admit to the turkish border guards at kappukule that he was working for the crime. That said, I've heard stories of people being denied reentry for overstaying visas, and other things.
Any job with having will get you legal. It's not difficult. I wouldn't risk working illegal these days. It's not like it used to be.

[eclectic]