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The Regulation originally published in 1983 regarding the implementation of Law No. 2527 (titled "Law on the Right of Foreign Nationals of Turkish Descent to Practice Their Professions and Arts and to Be Employed in Public or Private Institutions or Workplaces in Türkiye") has been amended to be more restrictive by the new Regulation published on the Official Gazette dated 10 October 2025.
Looking briefly into the background of the practice – foreign nationals of Turkish descent, like any other foreign nationals, may obtain work authorization in Türkiye provided that they meet the requirements. In addition to this, Law No. 2527 and the accompanying Regulation published in 1983 made it possible for foreign nationals who hold a Turkish Descent ID and meet certain criteria to be exceptionally authorized to work in professions that could historically be practiced exclusively by Turkish nationals.
Now, the amended version of the Regulation, published on 10 October 2025, revises the eligibility criteria for foreign nationals of Turkish descent, imposing stricter requirements on who may qualify for these professions.
Who qualifies as a "foreign national of Turkish descent"?
The communities to be recognized and accepted under this definition will be determined by Presidential decree. Examples include certain nationals of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
What are the restricted professions?
Professions such as dentist, pharmacist, veterinary physician, notary, lawyer, judge, prosecutor, certified public accountant, private security guards, neighbourhood watchmen, ship agency official, ship agency personnel are exclusively reserved for Turkish nationals under certain laws. For a comprehensive list of these professions, please review the relevant laws.
What are the eligibility criteria for work authorization for restricted professions?
To obtain work authorization under this Regulation, a foreign national of Turkish descent must meet all the following criteria:
Key similarities between the previous and amended Regulations:
- Valid residence permit issued by the Migration Directorate
- Proof of qualifications for specialized restricted professions, certified by competent Turkish authorities
- Receipt of foreign diploma equivalency from the relevant Turkish institution
(Previous version requested diploma equivalency to be received from the Ministry of National Education, the amended Regulation simplifies this to general institutional approval.)
- Possess no security concerns with regard to practicing the relevant profession in Türkiye
- Registration in the Population Registry System that is kept for Turkish Descent ID holders
- Membership document of Professional Chamber, if the profession requires registration with a professional organization within Türkiye
- Receipt of vocational certificate (e.g., apprenticeship or mastery documents) from the relevant institutions, if applicable
(Previous version explicitly required approval of the Ministry of National Education upon receipt of the Apprenticeship Board's opinion. However, the amended Regulation simplifies this to general institutional approval.)
New requirements added to the amended Regulation:
- Turkish Descent ID card
- Demonstrate inability to practice profession in country of citizenship due to circumstances beyond their control, and being forced to continue life Türkiye for various reasons
- Having a distinct ethnic and cultural identity from the vast majority of the country of citizenship
Conclusion
The core professional and legal requirements remain similar in both versions of the Regulation. However, the amended Regulation sets more detailed eligibility criteria. Previously, work permit applications were evaluated by the Ministry of Labor with consideration of Law No. 2527, the accompanying Regulation and the opinions of other relevant Ministries. With the amended Regulation, the communities that may be considered as foreign nationals of Turkish descent will be determined by Presidential Decree. Additionally, the scope of the eligibility for restricted professions now includes certain ethnic and cultural specifications, mentioned in criteria #9 and 10 of the amended Regulation.
As a result, the Ministry of Labor is expected to evaluate Turkish Descent ID card holder's work permit applications more strictly, leaving less room for broad interpretation, if applies for one of those restricted professions.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
