How to immigrate and work in turkey as an IT Specialist?

What are the steps you have to follow?

The steps you have to follow to immigrate as an IT specialist in Turkey are as follows;

Find a job offer as an IT specialist.

The first step to becoming an It specialist in Turkey is to find a job offer. You have to get a job offer and find an employer who needs your skills and abilities.

This is because the priority is with the Turkish nationals. If the employer can not find someone in the country, then he/she can bring a foreign person to the country. There are some in-demand skills that there are not enough skilled workers there, and an IT specialist is one of them.

If you want to know how to find a job in Turkey, look at the below section.

Sign an employment contract.

After you find the job offer or the employer who is willing to hire you, you have to sign en employment contract with him/her. This is an essential requirement, and you have to sign it. If the employer is unwilling to sign a contract and asks for a large amount of money, it could be a sign of fraud or scam.

You have to work on the contract and make it perfect. Read the contract carefully and determine the terms and obligations.

These are some of the items that you should include in the contract; 

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

You can add other sections or terms to it as well. It’s up to you and the type of job you will do. There are many samples on the internet you can read to get a clear understanding of a work contract. You could also ask for advice from a lawyer or your family lawyer. But be careful the version you sign is the one you have read before and agreed on its terms. Read every line of the contract and determine what obligations it puts on you.

This is the stage you have to be careful. As Turkey experiences inflation and a change in prices, try to get a good salary.

The employer applies for a work permit.

After you are done with the work contract, the employer must apply for a work permit. He/she submits the supporting documents and applies them to the related officials in Turkey.

There is a list of documents you have to send to the employer. The legal or HR department of the company guides you on the list you have to submit. But this is a sample list of the documents that the employer has to submit;

• 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.
• Etc.

There could be some instructions on each one of the above documents. For instance, you might have to submit a copy of each one, or one piece can not be older than a certain time. For example, your CV must reflect all of your work experience in a timeline, or your clean record certificate can not be older than one month. You might have to get the documents translated by a certified translation office;

• stamp,
• signature,
• email address,
• phone number,
• address,
• and on the translation office letterhead.
• Etc.

If you have questions about your documents, do not hesitate and ask the company. If something is wrong with your application, the work visa application might get rejected.

The employer has to apply to the  Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services, MLSS.

The employee’s application will be rejected if the employer doesn’t submit an application to the MLSS. There is an online application form with the MLSS that the employer must complete as well.

It takes about one month until the ministry decides on the work permit application.

When Turkish officials issue the work permit or inform the employer of the results, he/she must send them to the Turkish embassy in the employee’s home country.

At the same time. You must gather the list of supporting documents for a work visa. See the below section to know the work visa supporting documents.

Gather the work visa supporting documents.

This is a sample list of the documents you have to gather and submit to the Turkish embassy/consulate in your home country;

1. Completed Turkey Work Visa Application Form.

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

2. Photos.

You need two identical photos of yourself.

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

3. Passport.

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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

You need at least €50 for each day of your stay in the country.

10. A booked Flight ticket.

You must book a roundtrip flight and show this document to the embassy on your interview day.

This was the list of supporting documents.

But was it all of it?

No.

The embassy might ask you to submit a few additional documents.

It’s up to your case and nationality.

Embassy meeting.

After you’re done gathering the supporting documents, you must schedule a meeting with the Turkish embassy or consulate in your home country. You must visit them in person and bring all the gathered documents. Don’t forget anything.

You’d better ask them about the full list of supporting documents and how much visa processing costs. Visit their website or email them to know if they have supporting documents. If one of your friends or a co-worker has applied, you can ask for his/her experience as well.

Also, ask them how they receive the cost of the visa.

There is a fee for work visa processing as well that you have to pay to the embassy. You might have to pay with your credit card or transfer the amount to your bank account. Ask the embassy how much it costs you and how you have to pay the fees.

Either way, after you have paid the fee, keep the receipt of your payment.

During the meeting, the officials will ask questions about your employment and background.

Prepare yourself for the interview and give true answers. You would better prepare yourself and have some answers to tell them. What you say is important, and the embassy officials evaluate your case by your answers. They must align with your documents or the information you have provided in your application. It’s one of the stages in which they decide whether to issue a work visa or not. So do not take it easy. It’s not terrifying, but you should prepare yourself for it.

Wait for the results.

After you are done with the embassy, the embassy informs you of the results. You will have to pick up your visa at the embassy. It’s the stick on your passport, and you have to hold it to enter the country.

The processing time is with the embassy, their workload, and your case. You would better be careful and submit a full list of documents to speed up the process. If one piece of your document is missing or the embassy asks for further documents, the processing will be longer.

After you arrive in Turkey.

When you get the visa stick, you can move to Turkey and begin your work. When you land in Turkey, you need a foreign national identification (ID) number to register your address.

It starts with 99.

To get a foreign ID, you must first receive your residence permit card. Visit the Ikamet residence website from the link in the description to apply for your residence permit. You will have to 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. If you live in Istanbul, you must visit the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management to register your address. If you live in another city or district, you must go to the District Population Directorates in your district.