Does a new job offer allow you to start work using your old permit?
A foreign employee’s change of employer does not automatically transfer an employer-specific fixed-term work permit to the new company. A new work permit is required to work for a different employer. The new employer’s application is assessed under the rules for an initial application. Signing a contract, registering with social security or submitting an application does not, by itself, authorise work. The transition plan must address the end of the existing job, the new permit and lawful residence in Türkiye together. (Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Application Types)
This article concerns employees who are still working or have received a new offer. If a cancellation decision has already been issued, its grounds and the available remedies also require examination. The article on steps after work permit cancellation addresses that separate situation. A planned job change and the legal consequences of cancellation should not be treated as the same case.
Identify the permit type and check the current records first
The first question is the type of permit, rather than how many months remain on the card. A fixed-term dependent permit rests on a particular employment relationship. Indefinite and independent permits, the Turquoise Card and special statuses providing work rights have different rules. There is no single transfer petition suitable for every foreign national. Compare the employer, workplace, duties and start and end dates shown on the document with the current official record.
An indefinite permit holder is in a different position from someone with an employer-specific fixed-term permit. An independent permit concerns work in the holder’s own name and on their own account. It should not be assumed to permit every salaried job without further examination. A change in the form of work must be checked against the permit’s scope. If the document’s nature is unclear, use the Ministry’s explanations and the person’s actual records before acting. (Directorate General of International Labour Force, Work Permit Types)
Collect the previous application number, permit copy, employment contract and recent social security records. Sending the new employer only a photograph of the card may not explain the conditions under which it was issued. Any sector-specific exemption or annotation should be examined at the outset.
Changing employer, branch and duties are different situations
Two businesses using the same brand are not necessarily the same employer. Companies within a group may have separate legal personalities, tax registrations and employment relationships. Establish who is named as employer in the new contract and where the work will actually take place. A transfer within a holding company does not, by itself, show that the existing permit is sufficient.
A move to another branch of the same employer or a change of duties differs from moving to another employer. The Ministry requires the relevant conditions to be met for different duties or work at the same employer’s other branches in the same business sector. Compare the changes in address, duties and sector with the permit and current procedure. It is inaccurate either to classify every branch move as a new-employer application or to assume that no change requires action. (Ministry FAQ on Changes of Job and Workplace)
Trade registry documents may also matter in a merger, workplace transfer or company-name change. Continuity of the employment contract under labour law does not necessarily mean that work permit records update automatically. Define the actual change before choosing the procedure.
Who submits the application and what is prepared in e-İzin?
The new employer or an authorised person handles an employer-specific permit application through e-İzin. A statement from the foreign national that they are looking for work does not replace this application. Check workplace registration, the applicant representative’s authority and electronic signature arrangements in advance. Even where an adviser prepares the file, the accuracy of the statements matters to the employer and employee.
Select the new workplace rather than continuing under the old company’s record. Identity details, permit history, proposed duties, pay and address must agree with the new contract. A draft entry in the system and an electronically completed application are different stages. Retain the submission date and application number so that requests for missing information can be tracked. (Ministry, e-İzin Application Guide)
The employee and employer should agree who monitors the file. A document request can be missed if the preparer leaves the business or the registered email address is no longer used. Clear responsibility and current contact information reduce avoidable administrative problems, without guaranteeing approval.
Can every employee apply from within Türkiye?
The general explanation for domestic applications refers to a residence permit issued for at least six months and valid on the application date. This does not mean that everyone must first wait six months in Türkiye or have six months remaining on their card. The current work permit and special application categories require separate examination. Lawful stay and eligibility for a particular application route are distinct questions.
Where domestic conditions are not met, the overseas route beginning at a Turkish mission in the person’s country of nationality or lawful presence may be considered. The reference number obtained from the mission and the employer’s electronic application in Türkiye form parts of the same process. Travel, termination of the old permit and application dates should be planned around the individual’s status. (Ministry, Domestic and Overseas Applications)
Near the end of a permit, a new employer’s verbal assurance is insufficient. Check current lawful stay, eligibility for the transition application and the proposed starting date separately. Keep any written guidance obtained from the Ministry concerning the particular case.
Which conditions must the new employer satisfy?
The old employer’s successful application does not establish the new employer’s eligibility. Staffing, financial capacity, proposed pay, business activity and the employee’s position can all matter. Exceptions may depend on the sector or the individual. A single capital or employee threshold found online should not be applied indiscriminately to every business.
The job title must match the actual duties. Diplomas and experience submitted for a skilled role should support the stated position. Describing work that will not actually be performed simply because it appears easier to obtain approval undermines the file. Pay should be consistent across the contract, application and social security declarations.
Read the general and sector-specific criteria in force on the application date together. An exemption used previously may not follow the worker into another sector. Check the evidence supporting the exemption and whether it applies to the new job. The employer’s accountant and the person handling the application should work from the same information.
Special restrictions on changes during the first six months
Current criteria contain six-month restrictions for certain applications. In domestic services and livestock farming, domestic applications to change employer within six months of the start of a permit originally obtained through an overseas application are assessed negatively, except in force majeure cases. A separate provision covers holders who benefited from specified sector, occupation or job-based exemptions and seek domestic permission to move to another employer outside that scope. (Ministry, Assessment Criteria B/3.5, B/10.4 and B/12.1)
These provisions do not mean that every foreign employee is absolutely forbidden to change jobs for six months. Examine the starting date, original application route, authorised sector and proposed job together. A claimed force majeure event should be documented; a higher salary offer alone should not be treated as establishing that exception.
Where a serious event affects the worker’s safety, it should not be suggested that they must remain at work solely because of permit procedures. Termination of employment, protection needs and the permit application have separate legal aspects. Preserve dates, complaints and any official records.
What documents belong in the transition file?
Prepare personal and workplace documents together. The table is a preparation aid, not an exhaustive official checklist. Profession, sector, application route and current system requirements may call for additional evidence. (Ministry, Work Permit Application Documents)
| Area | Core record | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Passport and foreigner identity details | Name, number and validity |
| Previous permit | Permit and system record | Type, employer and annotations |
| New role | Signed contract and any required diploma | Duties, pay and qualifications |
| New workplace | Requested business and financial records | Employer identity and criteria |
| Transition dates | Departure and application records | Gaps in work and residence |
Explain differences between the passport name and the earlier permit record. A permit issued against an old passport may need to be considered together with the new passport. Check translation and certification requirements by document type. Use the requirements of the actual application category rather than spending money on an uncertain generic checklist.
Planning departure from the old job and notifications
Termination of the contract, permit termination and social security exit are connected but separate records. Foreign nationals and employers covered by the law must notify the Ministry within fifteen days of starting or ending work and of circumstances requiring cancellation. This is not a grace period permitting work for a new employer without permission. Social security procedures have their own rules. (Ministry, Notification and Social Security Duties)
Document the employee’s departure date. The old employer’s promise to notify does not prove completion. Equally, keeping an old record open contrary to the facts merely to ease the transition is not appropriate. Preparation can begin while the old job continues, but actual dates must be declared accurately.
Notice, unused leave, unpaid wages and other employment claims require separate assessment. See the firm’s labour law services for that area. Resolving the permit file does not automatically resolve claims against the previous employer.
Can work start while the new application is pending?
A pending application does not ordinarily authorise work for the new employer. Calling an activity a trial period, unpaid work or short training does not remove the permit requirement where it is actually employment. Once approved, read the start date, employer, duties and annotations. An application number or payment notice alone should not be used as authority to start.
The conditional continuation of work for up to ninety days during a timely renewal application applies to the same job and workplace; it cannot be carried over to a change of employer. Lawful work under the old permit and work at the new workplace must be distinguished.
Rather than promising an unconditional starting date, make the permit requirement clear in contractual and operational planning. The new employer should meet interim staffing needs through lawful arrangements. Asking the foreign employee to take shifts before the permit is issued is not an appropriate transition method.
Residence rights between the two jobs
Where the work permit also serves as a residence permit, its termination affects the assessment of lawful stay. Check for another valid residence permit or special status. A new work permit application is not a general guarantee that every intervening day becomes lawful residence. A terminated permit should not be treated as continuing solely because of the date printed on its card.
Migration Management guidance separately addresses a ten-day period for an appropriate residence application following the end of a work permit or departure from work. Determine the triggering event, any other valid permit and the new application’s nature in the individual file. This is separate from the employer’s fifteen-day notification duty. (Migration Management, Rights and Obligations of Foreigners in Türkiye)
General residence permit options can be considered, but a category whose conditions are not met cannot be presented as a guaranteed bridge. If travel is planned, examine exit and re-entry conditions using the actual documents.
Fees, documents and starting work after approval
Check which application an approval-stage fee and valuable-paper payment relates to. Payment for the old permit does not automatically cover the new process. Verify the amount, payment details and deadline from the official notice, rather than outdated online figures. Keep the receipt with the application number.
Compare the issued document’s employer name, employee identity, duties and dates against the application. Ask about correction procedures if an error appears. Postal delivery and the legal commencement of the permit are different matters; the starting date should not be assessed solely by when the parcel arrives. The employer must coordinate permit commencement and social security duties.
Give the employee copies of the decision, new contract, application and payment records, and workplace contact details. They should not remain available only from a former adviser. Later changes in duties or address are not automatically covered by the first application. Actual work records and permit conditions also matter at renewal.
Following up missing documents, refusal and another offer
Read additional-document requests in full and follow the specified channel and deadline. If a document already submitted is requested again, establish what issue needs clarification instead of resending it without explanation. Changes of employer or duties during examination require assessment; an application for one company does not automatically continue using another company’s offer.
Keep the refusal decision and service record. An administrative objection to the Ministry’s decision is available within thirty days of service; court remedies and deadlines require separate examination. A fresh application correcting a deficiency does not automatically renew the period for challenging the previous decision. An objection also does not automatically authorise work at the new workplace.
In a hypothetical example, a technology employee wishing to move companies first checks the new employer’s eligibility and the existing permit’s scope. Documents are prepared, departure and residence arrangements are settled, and work at the new company begins only with the appropriate authorisation. Legal support from Attorney Esra Aslan can help assess linked files, particularly where sector restrictions, conflicting records or concurrent residence procedures are involved.
This article provides general information based on sources checked on 13 October 2026. Permit type and individual circumstances may require a different procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use my unexpired card at the new company?
No. An employer-specific fixed-term card cannot be used for a different employer. Appropriate new permission is required.
Does moving to another group company count?
A separate legal entity may be a new employer. Compare the contract and registry records rather than the brand.
Is every foreign worker prohibited from moving in the first six months?
No. The special provisions concern particular sectors and applications. Examine the basis of the old permit and the proposed job.
Can I start once social security registration is completed?
No. Social security registration does not replace a work permit. Both obligations must be met under their respective rules.
Does the ninety-day renewal arrangement cover the new employer?
No. It requires continuation of the same job and workplace. A different employer is assessed under initial-application rules.
May I remain in my old job while the new employer applies?
Only while the old employment relationship and its permission genuinely remain valid. The new application does not extend the old permit indefinitely.
Is the old employer’s file transferred to the new company?
Some documents may assist preparation, but the new employer needs its own application and records. The old file is not a new approval.
Should I show the previous permit after renewing my passport?
Explain the connection between the previous permit and new passport. Check identity numbers and spelling differences before applying.
Can I use another job offer after refusal?
A fresh application on appropriate new facts may be considered. The offer does not stop the objection period against the previous refusal.
Should my family’s permits also be checked?
Yes, if they depend on your employment or income. Each family member’s document may have different consequences.