Immigrate to Turkey as a Cybersecurity Engineer

Did you know that Turkey is ranked 11th in the world on cybersecurity? If you are a skilled worker and want to know to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer, this page of the Visa Library will bring you the requirements and the stages you have to follow.

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Is Cybersecurity Engineering needed in Turkey?

Yes, cybersecurity is one of the most in-demand jobs in Turkey. The country is developing fast in the field of IT and technology. They need skilled workers more than ever.

These areas are some of the most in-demand occupations in Turkey;

IT Specialist
IT Project Manager
IT Business Analyst
DevOps Engineer
Cloud Architect/Engineer
Cybersecurity Engineer
Scrum Master

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Immigrate to Turkey as a Cybersecurity Engineer

What are the requirements to become a cybersecurity engineer in Turkey?

There are two main ways to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer; a job offer and get a work visa, and a student visa. This section tells you the requirements to get a Turkey work visa and move to the country as a cybersecurity engineer.

These items are general requirements, and you might have to get other items by your nationality and case. Also, there might be some requirements for you as a cybersecurity engineer.

Work experience as a cybersecurity engineer

One of the essential requirements to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer is to have work experience. There are several reasons why you need work experience.

One is that you need work experience to convince or persuade a Turkish employer to hire you. As you will read in the below section. The first step to pass is to get a job offer. Employers look for work experience as one of the main criteria to evaluate your skills and abilities. If you do not have enough profound work experience, then there is no job offer, and everything ends here.

The second reason is that you need work experience to pass the hiring process. When you apply for a job position, if your resume is outstanding, the employer reaches out, and you have to pass a few stages of the interview. They are with the HR team and the technical team of the company you have applied to. You must have work experience and know enough to pass these interviews. You can not memorize or fake knowing about cybersecurity engineering. The interviewers are professionals and can recognize it. You need deep-rooted knowledge to answer them and get the job offer.

The third reason you need work experience is that you need it to prove your background. Turkish immigration officials will check your history and background to ensure your purpose for a visit. If there is a gap between your education and the time you are applying for a work visa, work experience is the best form to fill it.

The last reason is that you need work experience to work in Turkey after passing all of the stages. Just studying a university subject is not sufficient.

You’d better have a deep understanding of;

security technologies,
data protection frameworks,
computer networks,
software,
hardware,
and operating systems.

An educational degree from a valid center.

This item is not a definite requirement, but you might have to hold a related educational degree. It’s not a requirement but an advantage in your application.

If you have a related educational degree, employers might be more willing to hire you. It shows that you have been on this path for a long time, and your academic knowledge is related to cybersecurity engineering. But it’s that they won’t hire you without a degree.

Even if you do not have a related degree, you can try and apply for job positions. You might be able to continue your education in Turkey with a related subject as well. There are great education centers where you can extend your knowledge of cybersecurity and work part-time as well.

A strong and compelling resume/CV.

When you apply for a job, Turkish employers first see your CV/resume. The first impression matters here, and the CV must catch their eyes. If the CV is compelling enough, employers reach you for an interview.

You should work hard on your resume and improve it with the items you know are required in your field; online courses in Udemy or Coursera, certificates, work experience, recommendations, etc.

When you look at the job positions, determine what the employers are looking for. Try to find out what skills they need and try to fulfill them. If you have a 2-4 year plan to immigrate to Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer and are reading this page to get a roadmap, you can create a checklist of the required items by looking at the job descriptions;

Tasks
Responsibilities
Soft skills
Hard skills
Certificates

You should work on your resume’s shape and structure. Proofread it a few times and update it regularly. It’s the first arrow you shoot, so it must hit the target.

A job offer from a Turkish employer/company.

The essential step you have to pass to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer is to get a job offer. It’s a must to find a job offer with a Turkish employer willing to hire you. This is the first obstacle you have to pass.

It’s your responsibility to find a job, and there are several ways to do it. You will find how to find a job in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer in the below section.

But why is it so essential to find a job, and it’s the first step? Because you need the Turkish government’s approval to work as a foreigner. There must be an employer who needs your skills and abilities as a cybersecurity engineer. He/she applies to get approval from the government, and you, as the cybersecurity engineer, can not ask for permission. When the Turkish authorities agree that you can work as a foreigner in the country, you can continue the rest of the process.

The ways you use to find a job offer in Turkey are up to you. But this is the first wall you have to climb.

Being able to get a Turkey work visa.

After you get the job offer, you need a Turkey work visa to enter the country. You must be able to apply for and get a work visa. There is a procedure to follow and some supporting documents to gather. You have to submit them to the Turkish embassy/consulate in your home country when to complete the application. Look at the below section to learn about Turkey’s work visa.

You should look carefully at the list of work visa supporting documents and determine if you can provide them or not. For instance, one of the requirements is a clean record certificate from the officials of the country you have lived in for the last few years.

Things might get complicated if you have been convicted or arrested for illegal activity.

Note; the above list of requirements is not an ultimate list. You might have to hold other items to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer.

What is the process of becoming a cybersecurity engineer?

The steps you have to pass to become a cybersecurity engineer in Turkey are as follows. But depending on your nationality and case, you might have to pass one or two otehr stages as well. The general way you have to follow is like this, so if you face another stage, don’t get worried.

Can you fulfill the requirements?

Look before you leap. You’d better read the stages you have to follow and get a clear understanding of the obstacles you have to pass. Can you pass all of them, or are you qualified?

Answering this question and determining the things you have to do is helpful. You might not have one essential item, and if you begin the process and find it in the middle of it, your time and effort are lost.

You might have to prepare yourself to get one condition, and it could take you time. So you need to answer the question of eligibility and whether you are able to cover them.

Look for a job offer as a cybersecurity engineer.

The first obstacle you have to pass is getting a job offer from a Turkish employer. You have to find someone who needs your skills and wants to hire you. It’s up to you to find the company or employer who needs you.

There are various ways to find a job in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer. You can learn about them in the below section. But it must be real and not fake or a scam, as Turkish officials can find it out.

Sign a contract with the Turkish company/employer.

After you find the job offer or the employer willing to hire you in the company, you need to sign an employment contract with him/her. It’s part of the supporting documents to apply for the work permit.

The work contract must be on the company’s letterhead and explain every aspect of the terms of your employment. Also, both sides have to sign it;

The date it will begin and end.
Location of the job.
Bonuses
Job title
Duties
Salary or hourly rate
investment/retirement plans
Health benefits
Skill requirements
Team & department assignment
Job description
Raises, bonuses, incentive opportunities
Company stock options
Role requirements
Etc.

You can read samples of an employment contract on the internet or get help from a lawyer or someone you trust to read and sign it.

The employer applies for a work permit.

After signing the work contract, the employer applies for a work permit from the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services, MLSS. This sample list of supporting documents must be gathered and submitted;

Work Permit Application Letter.
Foreign Personnel Application Form.
The Trade Registry Gazette of Turkey.
A balance sheet and profit/loss statement for the most recent year.
Notarized power of attorney.

Employment contract.
CV/resume
Clean record certificate.
Educational documents.
Proof of work experience
Valid passport.
Other passports you have had.
Clean record certificate.
Etc

The employer informs you of the full list of the documents you have to send him/her. They complete the list with the documents from their company and apply for the work permit. Then you should apply to the Turkish embassy/consulate at the same time.

Gather the work visa supporting documents.

You have to collect a list of supporting documents and submit them to the Turkish embassy/consulate.

This is a sample list of the documents you have to gather;

Completed Turkey Visa Application Form.

You can get it from the Turkish embassy in your home country.

Photos.

You need two identical photos of yourself.

Photos should be biometric and not older than six months ago at the time of application.

Passport.

It should be valid for six months after you land in Turkey.

Job Offer or work contract.

Your document must contain information about your job position, remuneration, and contract validity period.

It must explain every detail about your employment.

Clean record certificate.

A certificate that shows you were not part of any criminal activity or legal issues in recent years.

You must get it from the police or judiciary officials in your home country.

Whether the document needs verification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Justice is a decision of the Turkish embassy in your home country.

Diploma or Graduation Certificate.

A verified translator must translate your BA or MA certificate.

Whether you need the verification of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the translation is with the embassy.

Medical Insurance.

You need insurance for the whole duration of your stay in Turkey.

You can buy one from your home country, or your employer can arrange it for you, so you can submit the receipt.

Evidence of accommodation in Turkey.

You may present proof of a real estate property in Turkey or a rent agreement.

There are websites where you can rent a place in Turkey with them.

Proof of having enough funds.

You must submit a bank statement that proves you have enough money to cover your expenses for the first months of your stay in Turkey.

Note; the above list is a sample of the documents you have to gather and submit to the embassy. But, the Turkish embassy/consulate in your home country could ask for further documents. You have to submit whatever they require as a cybersecurity engineer.

The one thing you can do is visit the Turkish embassy’s website and find out if they have a checklist of the required documents or not.

If there is no information on the website, you can email them to know the full list or if they require further documents.

Apply to the Turkish embassy/consulate.

There is an online application form you have to complete, and when you complete it, it asks for a center to submit your application. You can pick the center to submit your application. You can choose the nearest place to the palace you live in.

Schedule a and visit them in person to submit the documents. You have to check everything not to miss a piece document. Also, try to get there a bit early.

There is also a fee for visa processing that you have to pay to the embassy. Figure out how much you have to pay. Then the officials ask you questions about the purpose of your visit, background, and employment. It’s the interview with the embassy, and you should give true and honest answers.

Wait for visa processing.

After you complete the procedures with the embassy, wait for visa processing. It’s up to the embassy’s workload and whether they ask for further documents or not. After your visa is ready, the embassy notifies you t get the visa label on your passport. You either have to post your passport or deliver it in person.

What do you have to do after you arrive in Turkey?

After you receive the visa label on your passport, you can get to Turkey. Every foreigner who arrives in Turkey needs a foreign national identification (ID) number. It usually starts with 99. You need it to register your address with the officials.

You have to apply for and receive your residence permit card to get the ID card.

Visit the Ikamet residence website to apply for your residence permit. You must give your name and surname, date of birth, parents’ names, nationality, and contact info. Then you should go to the “Central Appointment System” website and make an appointment at the nearest office of the Directorate General of Migration Management. You complete a form with your information and address in Turkey.

You’ll receive the address of the nearest DGMM office and the list of the required documents.

You’ll also get the available dates and times for the appointment and the application and card fee that you have to pay.

After getting the residence permit and ID card, you must register with the Address Registry System within one month of arriving in Turkey. You should book an online appointment. You must visit the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management to register your address if you live in Istanbul. If you live in another city or district, you must go to the District Population Directorates in your district.

Cybersecurity engineer’s salaries in Turkey.

Your salary as a cybersecurity engineer in Turkey is up to various factors. Some sample items include work experience and the company you work with.

Different sources have mentioned different figures for your salary.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a cybersecurity engineer in Turkey is about TRY 15,723 per month. The bonus figure is about TRY 6,734, with the range of TRY 200 – TRY 13,268.

According to Payscale, the average salary is about TRY 45.778.

Moreover, the Salary Explorer website indicates that the average salary is about 7,820 TRY per month. The salary range is about 4,220 TRY (lowest) to 11,800 TRY (highest).

Let’s sum up…

You learned how to immigrate and work in Turkey as a cybersecurity engineer through this Visa Library page. You found out what the requirements are and the items you have to prepare.

Also, you learned about the stages you have to follow to become a cybersecurity engineer in Turkey.

If you have questions about the process, requirements, or for your conditions, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library team will answer them.