Erdal Nuhbasa – Law and Consulting Firm – Legal Services
ERDAL NUHBASA
LAW AND CONSULTING FIRM
Erdal Nuhbasa – Law and Consulting Firm – Legal Services
ERDAL NUHBASA
LAW AND CONSULTING FIRM
A new amendment published in the Official Gazette on 10 October 2025 has significantly changed the employment conditions for foreigners of Turkic origin in Türkiye. The amendment affects the implementation of Law No. 2527, titled “Law on Allowing Foreigners of Turkish Descent to Work Freely in Turkey in Their Professions and Trades”.
A new article 2/A has been added to the regulation, stating that:
“Which communities will be recognized as “Turkic origin” shall be determined by Presidential decision.”
This means the authority to define Turkic-origin foreign nationals is now centralized, and applications will be evaluated based on criteria set by the Presidency of Türkiye.
With the regulation published on October 10, 2025, the authority to define which communities qualify as “people of Turkic origin” has been transferred to the President of Türkiye. Previously, this identification was evaluated inconsistently across institutions, but now the process is centralized to ensure national security and alignment with Türkiye’s migration policies.
The implementation details regarding how Turkic origin will be proven have not been fully clarified yet. It is still unclear whether ancestry documents alone will be sufficient or whether cultural and historical ties to the Turkic world will also be considered. The final criteria will be progressively determined by Presidential decisions, which means that each application will be evaluated in accordance with future legal announcements.
This change will significantly impact applicants from countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Balkans, Crimea, East Turkistan, and the Gagauz region. However, belonging to one of these communities will not automatically guarantee eligibility. Each case will depend on the official list of accepted groups defined by the Presidency.
Article 3 of the regulation has been completely revised, introducing new mandatory conditions. Foreigners of Turkic origin must now meet all of the following criteria to obtain a work permit:
These criteria aim to prioritize Turkic-origin foreigners who are socially or economically disadvantaged, while preventing misuse of the previous regulation.
The new regulation supplements the previous legal framework for the employment of foreigners of Turkic origin, without restricting their rights. Instead, it clarifies the application criteria and procedural aspects. Under Law No. 2527, certain conditions were already required, but in practice, the way these conditions were documented and evaluated sometimes varied. The new regulation addresses this inconsistency and aims to ensure uniform application.
One of the most important updates is that applicants must now substantiate their reasons for residence and work with documentation. Being of Turkic origin alone is not sufficient; applicants must provide concrete evidence supporting their personal circumstances and the legal grounds for their application. This ensures that administrative evaluations are objective, verifiable, and consistent.
The new regulation replaces the previous authority of the “Council of Ministers” with the President of Türkiye. This change aligns with the 2017 constitutional reforms and ensures that decision-making processes are conducted through a centralized authority.
Presidential authority plays a key role in both identifying Turkic-origin communities and approving work permits. The reform aims to ensure that administrative and legal procedures are coordinated, efficient, and consistent.
The regulation published on October 10, 2025, entered into force on the date of publication. Since then, applications and work permits for foreigners of Turkic origin in Türkiye are evaluated according to the new framework. The regulation ensures that required documents and criteria are clarified, and that applications are processed in a systematic and verifiable manner.
This new regulation introduces stricter legal and administrative requirements for foreigners of Turkic origin who wish to work in Türkiye. While it continues to provide opportunities for those with cultural ties to Türkiye, it now clearly limits eligibility to those facing real necessity and hardship in their home countries.
For applicants, legal assistance is now more important than ever, as documentation and eligibility must meet specific regulatory standards.
For legal consultation or assistance with application procedures, feel free to contact us.
For more information, please contact me. Below are the details for the contact information.
Erdal Nuhbasa Law and Consulting Firm
Kartaltepe Mah. Bahçesaray Sok. No:19/3 Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
erdalnuhbasa@hotmail.com
www.erdalnuhbasa.com
