Learn how foreign software developers, cybersecurity experts, database specialists, mobile developers and IT professionals can benefit from easier work permit criteria in Turkey in 2026, including exemptions from the five-Turkish-employee and financial eligibility rules.

Yes. Foreign software developers and certain IT specialists can benefit from significantly easier work permit evaluation criteria in Turkey in 2026. The current rules create a specific advantage for qualified technology professionals by removing two of the most difficult requirements that normally apply to foreign workers: the employer’s five-Turkish-employee requirement and the ordinary financial eligibility requirement.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security specifically identifies specialist positions such as software development, database technologies, mobile software, systems and network security, and enterprise architecture as occupations that may benefit from these relaxed criteria. The scope of the exemption depends partly on whether the employer itself operates in the information technology sector.

This makes Turkey’s 2026 work permit framework considerably more favorable for foreign technology professionals than the general rules applicable to many other foreign employees.

What Is the Normal Work Permit Rule in Turkey?

Under the ordinary employment criterion, a balance-sheet-basis workplace generally must employ at least five Turkish citizens for every foreign worker for whom a work permit is requested.

For example, without an exemption:

One foreign employee generally requires five Turkish employees.

Two foreign employees generally require ten Turkish employees.

Three foreign employees generally require fifteen Turkish employees.

This requirement can be particularly burdensome for technology start-ups and specialized companies that need a small number of highly skilled foreign professionals.

The IT-sector rules provide an important exception.

Are Foreign Software Developers Exempt From the Five-Turkish-Employee Rule?

Potentially, yes.

For workplaces operating in the information technology sector, the Ministry provides that work permit applications for foreigners employed in specialist technology positions are evaluated without applying the employment criterion or the financial eligibility criterion.

This means a qualifying IT company does not necessarily need five Turkish citizens for every foreign software developer covered by the special rule.

For technology employers, this can make a substantial difference in recruitment planning.

Which IT Jobs Qualify for Easier Work Permit Criteria?

The Ministry expressly refers to specialist occupations including:

• Software development specialists
• Database specialists
• Mobile software specialists
• Systems and network specialists
• Security specialists
• Enterprise architecture specialists

The wording also refers more broadly to similar jobs, professions or duties requiring specialist expertise.

Therefore, the rule is not necessarily limited to a narrow list of job titles.

The actual nature of the foreigner’s work remains important.

Can a Foreign Backend Developer Benefit?

Potentially, yes.

A backend developer performing genuine software development would ordinarily fall naturally within software-development expertise.

Relevant evidence may include:

• Detailed job description
• Programming languages used
• System architecture responsibilities
• Previous software-development experience
• University education
• Professional certifications
• Project portfolio

The title alone is less important than whether the proposed position genuinely involves specialist software development.

What About Frontend Developers?

Foreign frontend developers may also potentially benefit where the position requires specialist software-development expertise.

A professional responsible for complex web applications, user-interface architecture, performance optimization, application frameworks, and integration with enterprise systems may present a stronger specialist profile than an applicant performing only basic website content work.

The employer should therefore describe the technical responsibilities accurately.

Can Full-Stack Developers Benefit?

Yes, potentially.

A full-stack developer ordinarily works across both frontend and backend technologies and can fall within the software-development specialist category where the role requires genuine technical expertise.

The work permit file can document technologies such as:

• Server-side development
• Web application frameworks
• Databases
• APIs
• Cloud infrastructure
• Application security
• Deployment processes

The Ministry will ultimately evaluate the actual application and documentation.

Are Mobile App Developers Covered?

Yes.

The current Ministry criteria specifically mention mobile software specialization among the IT positions that may receive exemption from ordinary employment and financial eligibility criteria.

This can cover specialists developing applications for mobile platforms and related systems where the position genuinely requires professional technical expertise.

Can Database Specialists Benefit?

Yes.

Database specialization is expressly included in the Ministry’s IT-sector provision.

This may be particularly relevant for professionals working in:

• Database administration
• Database architecture
• Performance optimization
• Distributed databases
• Data infrastructure
• Enterprise database systems

Again, the job description should accurately reflect the specialist duties.

Are Cybersecurity Specialists Covered?

Potentially, yes.

The Ministry specifically refers to systems, network and security specialization in its technology-sector criteria.

Foreign cybersecurity professionals working in areas such as network security, infrastructure protection, security architecture, penetration testing, incident response, or enterprise security may therefore potentially benefit from the relaxed criteria.

What About Network Engineers and Systems Specialists?

Systems and network specialists are expressly contemplated by the current IT rules.

A foreign professional responsible for enterprise networks, cloud systems, server infrastructure, virtualization, systems architecture, or similar technical infrastructure may therefore qualify if the position genuinely requires specialist expertise.

Are Enterprise Architects Covered?

Yes.

Enterprise architecture is specifically identified by the Ministry as one of the specialist IT occupations covered by the special evaluation rules.

This can be especially relevant to multinational businesses undergoing digital transformation or integrating large-scale information systems.

What Is the Advantage for an Employer in the IT Sector?

For an employer operating in the information technology sector, qualifying specialist work permit applications are evaluated without applying:

The employment criterion, and

The financial eligibility criterion.

This means that the employer does not necessarily need to satisfy the ordinary five-Turkish-employees-per-foreigner rule.

It also means the ordinary company financial thresholds do not need to be satisfied solely for the purpose of these qualifying specialist applications.

What Are the Ordinary Financial Requirements That May Be Waived?

Under the general rules, a newly established balance-sheet-basis workplace normally must have at least TRY 500,000 in paid-in capital when applying for a foreign employee.

For an existing workplace, the ordinary financial eligibility criterion can generally be satisfied through at least one of the following:

• TRY 500,000 paid-in capital;
• TRY 8,000,000 net sales; or
• USD 150,000 in exports.

Qualifying IT-sector specialist applications may avoid these ordinary financial eligibility requirements.

This can be especially useful for early-stage technology companies.

Can a Newly Established Technology Start-Up Hire a Foreign Software Developer?

Potentially, yes.

A newly established IT company may benefit from the special technology-sector provision even if it does not yet have significant turnover or a large workforce.

This is one of the practical reasons the IT exception is important.

A young software company could otherwise face difficulty because it may lack:

• Five Turkish employees for each foreign developer;
• Significant annual revenue;
• Export history.

Where the foreigner is genuinely employed in one of the qualifying specialist IT positions, the standard employment and financial eligibility criteria may not apply.

Does the Company Have to Be an IT Company?

Not always.

The Ministry provides a second important route for employers outside the information technology sector.

Where a non-IT company seeks to employ foreigners in specialist positions such as software development, databases, mobile software, systems/network security or enterprise architecture, the employment and financial eligibility criteria may also be waived for up to two foreign workers.

This is a major advantage for companies undergoing digital transformation.

Can a Manufacturing Company Hire Foreign Software Specialists Under the Easier Rules?

Potentially, yes.

A manufacturing company is not itself necessarily an IT-sector employer, but it may require specialist technology professionals for:

• Factory automation
• Enterprise software
• Cybersecurity
• Manufacturing execution systems
• Industrial databases
• Artificial intelligence systems
• Digital transformation

Under the non-IT company rule, up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists may potentially be evaluated without the ordinary employment and financial eligibility criteria.

Can a Bank or Financial Company Hire Foreign IT Experts Under This Rule?

Potentially.

A company operating outside the formal IT sector may still qualify for the special rule for up to two foreign specialists if the positions genuinely concern qualifying IT expertise.

Possible examples include:

• Cybersecurity
• Database architecture
• Banking software
• Systems security
• Enterprise architecture
• Infrastructure engineering

The company’s principal sector does not automatically disqualify the specialist.

Can a Logistics Company Use the IT Specialist Exemption?

Potentially, yes.

A logistics company may need foreign specialists for:

• Warehouse software
• Transport-management systems
• Cybersecurity
• Cloud infrastructure
• Enterprise resource systems
• Database technologies

Up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists at a non-IT employer may benefit from the relaxed employment and financial eligibility rules.

What Happens if a Non-IT Company Wants Three Foreign Software Developers?

The special non-IT rule is limited to a maximum of two foreigners.

Accordingly, the third foreign IT specialist cannot automatically rely on the same exemption.

The employer would need to determine whether another exemption applies to the third foreigner, such as:

• Previous lawful stay in Turkey
• Personal-status exemption
• High-turnover company exemption
• Another sector-specific rule

Otherwise, the ordinary criteria may apply.

Can an IT Company Hire More Than Two Foreign Specialists?

The specific two-person limitation is stated for businesses outside the IT sector.

For workplaces genuinely operating in the IT sector, the Ministry separately provides that qualifying IT specialist applications are exempt from the employment and financial eligibility criteria without expressing the same two-person limitation in that provision.

This distinction is highly important for technology companies employing multiple foreign developers.

Does the IT Exemption Remove the Salary Requirement?

Not automatically.

The Ministry’s IT-sector rule specifically removes the employment and financial eligibility criteria.

The salary criterion is a separate requirement.

Under the general 2026 criteria, foreigners working in jobs requiring specialist expertise must generally receive at least two times the applicable gross minimum wage, unless another rule or exemption applies.

Therefore, the proposed salary still needs to be reviewed carefully.

What if the Foreign Software Developer Is Also a Manager?

The applicable salary category may change.

Under the general Ministry criteria:

• Senior executives generally require at least five times the applicable minimum wage;
• Other managers generally require at least three times the applicable minimum wage;
• Jobs requiring specialist expertise generally require at least twice the applicable minimum wage.

A foreigner described as both “software engineer” and “technology director,” for example, should be classified according to the actual position rather than selecting whichever salary threshold is more convenient.

Can Foreign Software Engineers Be Treated Differently From Software Developers?

Potentially.

Where a person is employed specifically in a position classified as an engineer, professional and salary requirements relating to engineers may become relevant.

Under the general salary criteria, engineers and architects must generally be paid at least four times the applicable minimum wage.

Therefore, employers should carefully distinguish between:

• Software developer
• Software specialist
• Software engineer
• Technical manager
• IT director

Job title and professional status can affect the application.

Does the Foreign Developer Need a University Degree?

There is no general statement in the IT exemption providing that every foreign software specialist must necessarily hold a specific university degree solely to qualify for the employment and financial exemption.

However, the employer must still demonstrate that the foreigner is genuinely being hired for specialist work.

Evidence of expertise may include:

• University education
• Coding experience
• Professional certificates
• Previous employment
• Technical portfolio
• Major software projects
• Specialist training

Stronger documentation can reduce the risk that the position is viewed as merely ordinary employment labelled as specialist work.

Can a Self-Taught Software Developer Benefit?

Potentially.

Practical expertise may be relevant, depending on the position and how the application is documented.

For technology occupations in which professional competence can be demonstrated through experience, a portfolio of projects, technical qualifications, or prior employment may become important.

However, regulated engineering positions can involve additional considerations.

Can Artificial Intelligence Specialists Benefit?

Potentially, yes.

An AI professional may fall within software development, systems architecture, data infrastructure, or another technology-specialist category depending on the actual position.

Turkey’s work permit framework also allows flexibility for advanced technology and highly qualified personnel in certain circumstances.

An AI specialist with substantial technical expertise may therefore have more than one possible work permit route.

What About Machine Learning Engineers?

Potentially.

Machine learning professionals may be evaluated as software or advanced-technology specialists depending on their duties.

A strong work permit application may identify responsibilities such as:

• Model development
• Production AI systems
• Data pipelines
• Distributed computing
• Machine learning infrastructure
• Algorithm development

The employer should avoid vague job descriptions such as simply “IT employee.”

Can Data Scientists Benefit?

Potentially, particularly where the person’s work overlaps with database technologies, software development, enterprise systems or highly specialized technology work.

The exact Ministry category should be selected based on the actual duties.

A company should avoid assuming that every employee dealing with data automatically qualifies.

What About DevOps and Cloud Specialists?

Potentially.

DevOps, cloud infrastructure and platform specialists may fall within systems/network specialization or related specialist technology roles.

Relevant responsibilities can include:

• Cloud architecture
• Infrastructure automation
• Continuous deployment systems
• Container orchestration
• Server infrastructure
• Security systems

The technical character of the position should be documented.

Can Foreign Cybersecurity Experts Be Hired by Any Company?

Potentially.

A cybersecurity specialist employed by an IT-sector business can potentially benefit from the IT-sector rule.

A cybersecurity specialist hired by a bank, manufacturing company, retailer or another non-IT employer may potentially benefit from the special rule covering up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists.

This creates substantial flexibility for companies dealing with security-sensitive infrastructure.

Does the Foreigner Still Need a Work Permit?

Yes.

This is a critical distinction.

The special IT rules are principally exemptions from work permit evaluation criteria, not a blanket right to work without a permit.

The foreign software developer or IT specialist generally still needs to obtain a work permit unless the person separately falls within a true statutory work permit exemption category.

Therefore:

Easier work permit criteria do not necessarily mean no work permit is required.

Can the Foreign Developer Start Working While the Application Is Pending?

The employer should not assume that filing an application creates immediate authorization to work.

The foreigner’s existing legal status, current permit and applicable rules must be reviewed.

Unauthorized work can expose both the foreign employee and employer to legal and administrative consequences.

The proper authorization should therefore be obtained before commencing employment unless an applicable rule clearly permits otherwise.

Can Remote Foreign Developers Working From Abroad Use This Rule?

A foreigner who performs all work outside Turkey raises a different legal question from a foreigner physically working in Turkey.

Turkish work permit rules primarily become relevant where the foreign national performs work within Turkey or otherwise falls within the scope of the international labour force legislation.

International companies should therefore distinguish between:

• Remote work performed abroad
• Temporary assignments in Turkey
• Permanent employment in Turkey
• Cross-border service arrangements

The actual working arrangement matters more than the wording of the contract.

What if the Foreigner Already Lives in Turkey?

An additional 2026 exemption may apply.

From 3 August 2026, domestic work permit applications for foreigners who have legally remained in Turkey for at least one year during the previous three years under qualifying statuses may be evaluated without applying the ordinary employment and financial eligibility criteria, for up to three qualifying foreigners.

This can provide a second route for foreign IT specialists already established in Turkey.

Example: Three Foreign Developers Already Living in Turkey

Assume a company does not qualify as an IT business but wants to employ three foreign developers.

Two may potentially benefit from the non-IT company specialist exemption.

The third may separately qualify under the rule applicable to foreigners who have legally remained in Turkey for at least one year during the previous three years.

The company should therefore assess each foreigner individually rather than applying a single rule to the whole group.

Are Long-Term Residence Permit Holders Treated More Favorably?

Yes.

Under the current criteria, long-term residence permit holders are among the categories for whom the ordinary employment, financial eligibility and salary criteria are generally not applied.

A foreign software specialist with long-term residence may therefore benefit from even broader relief than the sector-specific IT exemption.

What About Foreigners Who Have Spent Eight Years in Turkey?

The current criteria also exempt certain foreigners who have accumulated at least eight years of qualifying lawful stay in Turkey from the general employment, financial eligibility and salary criteria.

This rule has applied since 3 August 2026.

This can significantly simplify applications for technology professionals who have developed long-term careers in Turkey.

Can a High-Turnover Company Hire Foreign IT Workers More Easily?

Yes, even outside the specific IT exemption.

Under the general criteria, an employer with at least TRY 50 million in previous-year net sales does not have to satisfy the ordinary employment criterion for work permit applications involving up to five foreigners.

Therefore, a large non-IT company may have several possible legal routes for foreign IT specialists.

Can a Foreign Software Developer Also Be a Company Shareholder?

Yes, but shareholder work permit rules may also become relevant.

A foreign technology founder may simultaneously be:

• A shareholder;
• A software specialist;
• A company manager;
• A long-term resident.

The company should determine which legal category produces the correct and most sustainable work permit structure.

The individual’s actual duties should match the application.

What Happens if the Foreign IT Specialist Changes Employers?

The Ministry’s criteria contain an important restriction concerning work permits issued through sector-, profession- or job-specific exemptions.

Where a foreigner receives a permit under one of these special criteria and, within six months from the permit’s starting date, applies domestically to work for a different employer and outside the specified sector, profession or job, the new application is generally evaluated negatively unless force majeure exists.

This rule is particularly important for specialists considering an early job change.

Can an IT Specialist Move to a Non-IT Position Immediately?

This may create difficulty where the original work permit was granted under a sector- or profession-specific exemption.

The 2026 criteria are intended to prevent a foreigner from obtaining a permit through a favorable specialist category and then quickly moving into an unrelated ordinary position.

Employment changes should therefore be reviewed before a new application is submitted.

What Documents Should an IT Work Permit Application Include?

Depending on the circumstances, important documentation may include:

• Passport
• Employment contract
• Employer corporate documents
• Job description
• CV
• Diplomas
• Professional certificates
• Previous employment records
• Technical project information
• Software portfolio
• Evidence of specialist experience

The employer should describe the proposed role in enough detail to demonstrate why it qualifies as a specialist technology position.

What Are Common Reasons IT Specialist Applications Fail?

Problems can arise where:

• The job description is vague;
• The role does not actually require specialist expertise;
• The application uses the wrong occupation classification;
• The salary is below the applicable threshold;
• Company records conflict with the application;
• The applicant’s qualifications do not support the position;
• A non-IT company attempts to exceed the two-person specialist limit without another exemption;
• The person begins unauthorized work before approval.

Accurate legal classification is therefore as important as technical qualifications.

2026 Legal Position for Foreign IT Specialists in Turkey

As of 2026, Turkey provides a clearly favorable work permit framework for qualifying technology specialists.

For businesses operating in the IT sector, work permit applications for specialist positions including software development, databases, mobile software, systems/network security and enterprise architecture are evaluated without applying the ordinary employment and financial eligibility criteria.

For businesses outside the IT sector, the same exemptions can apply for up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists.

This means a foreign developer may avoid the two requirements that frequently cause ordinary work permit applications to fail:

five Turkish employees for every foreign worker, and

the ordinary employer financial thresholds.

However, salary requirements, qualification issues, professional classification and other work permit conditions may still apply.

The Ministry also confirmed in July 2026 that the current work permit evaluation framework remains in force as part of Turkey’s international labour force policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do foreign software developers need five Turkish employees for a work permit in Turkey?

Not necessarily. Qualifying software-development specialists employed by IT-sector businesses are exempt from the ordinary employment criterion. Non-IT employers can also benefit for up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists.

2. Can a Turkish software start-up hire foreign developers without having five Turkish workers per foreigner?

Potentially, yes. Where the company operates in the IT sector and the positions qualify as specialist technology roles, the employment and financial eligibility criteria are not applied.

3. Can a non-IT company hire foreign software developers under the easier rules?

Yes, potentially. The employment and financial eligibility criteria may be waived for up to two qualifying foreign IT specialists working for an employer outside the IT sector.

4. Are foreign cybersecurity specialists covered?

Potentially, yes. Systems, network and security specialization is specifically recognized by the Ministry’s IT criteria.

5. Are mobile software developers covered?

Yes. Mobile software specialization is expressly listed among the qualifying technology roles.

6. Does the IT exemption remove salary requirements?

Not automatically. The exemption concerns employment and financial eligibility criteria. Salary requirements must be reviewed separately.

7. Do software engineers have the same salary threshold as ordinary IT specialists?

Not necessarily. If the position is legally classified as engineering, the general benchmark for engineers is four times the applicable minimum wage, whereas specialist work generally carries a two-times benchmark.

8. Can a foreign developer already living in Turkey benefit from another exemption?

Potentially. Since 3 August 2026, certain foreigners who have legally remained in Turkey for at least one year during the previous three years can benefit from exemption from ordinary employment and financial eligibility criteria, subject to the relevant conditions.

9. Can an IT company employ several foreign software developers?

Potentially. The special two-person limitation applies expressly to non-IT employers. Qualifying IT-sector employers are governed by the separate IT-sector specialist provision.

10. Is easier evaluation the same as being completely exempt from a work permit?

No. A qualifying foreign IT specialist generally still needs a work permit. The special rules mainly remove selected evaluation criteria rather than the permit requirement itself.

Client-Focused Work Permit Support for Foreign IT Specialists in Turkey

Turkey’s 2026 work permit framework provides important advantages for foreign software developers, database specialists, mobile developers, cybersecurity experts, network professionals and enterprise architects.

For qualifying positions, Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists technology companies, start-ups, foreign investors, multinational businesses and foreign professionals with structuring work permit applications under the special IT-sector criteria.

Lawyer Fırat Fesih Kaya provides legal assistance concerning foreign software developer work permits, IT specialist exemptions, cybersecurity professionals, technology start-ups, multiple foreign employee applications, salary requirements, work permit refusals, employer changes and 2026 corporate immigration compliance in Turkey.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No:221, Yıldırım Tower, Office No:148, 06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey