TURKEY PEO & EOR
Hire in Turkey without a local entity today
As a Global PEO & EOR service provider, we pride ourselves on our global reach, in-country knowledge, and ability to swiftly and efficiently mobilize workers around the world. Our robust PEO/EOR covers everything from global HR, payroll, compliance, in-country support, immigration, visas, and more.
Get started and hire in Turkey today with Gibson Watts Global.
DID YOU KNOW
- Turkey experiences, on average, 272 days of sunshine a year! Locals enjoy the fantastic climate and regularly engage in outdoor activity.
- Turkish cuisine is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Its Mediterranean food is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, fish, cheeses, beans, and pulses.
- Mountains near the sea, secluded beaches and bays, pine forests and olive groves are just a handful of the beautiful surroundings that make Turkey unique.
Forget software,
this is expansion
with a human touch
TURKEY PEO Services
A welcoming economy with a large, competitive workforce
A nation of diverse cultural heritage, Turkey is situated between Europe and Asia. The unique nation is home to beautiful architecture, stunning national parks, and many points of interest. Many are drawn to Turkey for its historical landmarks, great weather, and breathtaking sights Turkey also combines a wonderful mix of both Eastern and Western cultures.
In 2023, the Turkish economy will be the 10th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $2 trillion, a per capita income of $25 thousand, and exports of $500 billion. This shows that Turkey has room for further growth in various global industries, including oil and gas, construction, information technology, automotive, energy, natural stone mining, and many other sectors.
Living in Turkey brings many benefits, including the climate, outdoor lifestyle, food, and a society that is genuinely welcoming and full of hospitality. Whilst expanding your business into Turkey can pose some challenges, the process can be significantly simplified by partnering with a Turkey PEO provider like Gibson Watts Global.
Working in TURKEY
Employment Information
In Turkey, working hours cannot exceed 45 per week and are typically divided up evenly across six days. Most businesses will open 8.30am to 5.30pm or 9.00am to 6.00pm. Paid annual leave entitlement starts after a year of continuous service in any job, with 14 days available at one to five years’ service. This entitlement increases in stages, up to 26 days for employees who have completed more than 15 years of service.
Deciding whether work will be done on public holidays is decided by the collective agreement or employment contracts. The employee’s consent is required if there is no provision in the collective agreement or in employment contracts.
For the unworked rest day, the employer shall pay the employee’s daily wage, without any work obligation in return. The paid wage for work completed on national and public holidays must be paid to the employee by the employer.
Parental Leave
In principle, female employees must not be engaged in work for a total period of sixteen weeks when taking maternity leave. This is made up of eight weeks before confinement and eight weeks after confinement. The female employee shall be granted leave with pay for periodic examinations during their pregnancy.
If the female employee chooses, they may be granted an unpaid leave of up to six months after the expiry of the sixteen weeks; this is also applicable in the case of multiple pregnancies. This period shall not be considered in determining the employee’s one year of service for entitlement to annual leave with pay.
A male employee who becomes a father is entitled to five days of paid leave.
Visas
To relocate to Turkey, an expat must apply for a work permit via the consulate in either their home country or in Turkey. The respective employer must apply with the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services. Expats with approved work applications completed abroad must enter Turkey within 180 days.
If applying within Turkey, expats must have at least six months left on their residence permit. If all applications are correct and supported by the relevant documents, processing times take roughly 30 days.
Documents and applications for work visas vary from trade to trade.
Cultural Information
All official agencies in Turkey only speak Turkish. While English is a reasonably common form of business communication in bigger cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, foreign workers may struggle to get by without at least some understanding of Turkish.
As around 99% of the Turkish population is Muslim, religious holidays are of great importance. Two Islamic festivals, a three-day celebration of the end of Ramadan and the four-day Feast of Sacrifice, accompany the seven Turkish national holidays.
Turkish people are very friendly and hospitable. In most tourist hotspots you will find the locals who staff shops and restaurants are multilingual – many speak English, German, French, and Russian. Foreigners who learn some basic conversational Turkish will be highly respected.
Turkey does not require foreigners to take a Turkish driving test from scratch after a year. Turkey, instead, also allows foreigners to convert their license into a Turkish one.
Impacts from COVID-19
Turkey quickly adopted measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, while providing economic support to affected firms and households. The economic outlook since the pandemic has been more uncertain than usual, and a fast economic recovery depends on how quickly the ongoing crisis can be brought under control.