Türkiye has increased the statutory minimum wage to TRY 33,030,00 effective 1 January 2026. As foreign employee salary thresholds are calculated as multiples of the minimum wage, this change has resulted in material increases to the minimum salary requirements applicable to foreign nationals under the work permit regime.
Employers submitting new work permit applications must ensure that offered salaries meet the revised thresholds to avoid processing delays or refusals.
New Salary Criteria (Effective January 1, 2026)
Senior executives and pilots
Engineers and architects
Other managers (Including unit or branch managers)
Employees in jobs requiring expertise or mastery
Foreign employees in domestic services and other professions/jobs
These thresholds are assessed by the Ministry of Labor as a mandatory eligibility criterion for work permit approval.
All work permit applications filed on or after 1 January 2026 must comply with the updated salary thresholds. The Ministry has the right to ask for an amendment for the applications that do not meet the applicable minimum salary and if not complied again, reject the application.
Employers may need to reassess compensation structures for foreign nationals, particularly in managerial, technical, and executive roles, where increases are most significant.
Work permits issued before 1 January 2026 are not affected. There is no requirement to amend existing work permits or employment contracts solely due to this update.
Employers should note that renewals or role/title changes submitted after the effective date may trigger reassessment against the new salary criteria.
At Vialto Partners, we support employers in Türkiye with proactive and practical immigration compliance solutions, including:
For employer-specific guidance on how this update may affect your current or planned foreign workforce, please contact your Vialto Partners Global Mobility Services engagement team.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Cumhur Dülger
Partner
Çağatay Custan
Senior Manager
Mesut Çelik
Senior Consultant
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