Situated between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Turkey is known for its rich history and vibrant culture. With a growing economy, Turkey offers a relaxed and affordable Mediterranean lifestyle, making it a desirable place to live for locals and expats alike.
Turkey is a popular choice for companies hiring international remote employees due to its large, young, well-educated workforce, competitive labor costs, and convenient time zone, which overlaps with Europe and parts of Asia.
Many Turkish professionals are fluent in English and experienced in remote collaboration. Common skills and industries include software development, engineering, design, customer support, digital marketing, and finance, with a growing talent pool in tech and startups.
Key takeaways:
- Turkey offers a highly skilled, cost-effective workforce.
- Turkey’s location makes collaborating with businesses and workers across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia easy.
- Turkish labor laws provide clear guidelines for employment contracts, paid leave, termination, and more.
Advantages of Hiring in Turkey
Turkish employees are known to be hardworking and value strong personal connections and relationships. While the country has experienced a lot of ups and downs over the years, it’s resulted in a highly adaptive workforce that knows how to navigate rapid change.
Additionally, global employers will find that Turkish talent is more budget-friendly than in many other Western countries.
Here’s a quick overview of Turkey:
- Language: Turkish
- Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)
- Capital City: Ankara
- Population: 85.6 Million
- Cost of Living Rank: 111th
A Skilled Labor Force and Growing Tech Industry
Every year, Turkey produces many university graduates with advanced degrees in engineering, economics, sciences, and technology-related fields. Employers can expect highly educated and skilled workers, with most professionals proficient in English. Nearly half of the population is under 30.
In recent years, Turkey has seen a rise in its technology sector, with a growing number of startups in industries like fintech and AI.
Common remote jobs for Turkish workers include:
- Software Engineer
- Product Manager
- Backend Developer
- Graphic Designer
- Account Management
- Customer Support
- Project Management
- Translation or localization (such as Turkish → English or Turkish → Arabic)
Employment Laws: Hiring Compliantly in Turkey
Employment Contracts
Turkish employees are hired under either fixed-term or indefinite-term contracts, for full-time or part-time roles, depending on the agreed-upon working hours.
Fixed-term contracts cover a specific period of employment, such as a predetermined length of time or until the completion of a project. Indefinite-term contracts continue until the employer or employee terminates the agreement.
Employment contracts should include:
- Job title and responsibilities
- Designated workplace (including any remote work from home arrangements)
- Salary and benefits
- Work hours
- Paid leave entitlements
- Termination procedures
Working Hours & Pay
In Turkey, the standard workweek is 45 hours, with a daily limit of 11 hours. Overtime is compensated at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate, and work on weekends is paid at double the employee’s usual wage.
Employees can also opt to take paid time off in lieu of overtime pay, at 1.5 times the number of hours worked.
As of January 1, 2025, Turkey's monthly national minimum wage is TRY 26,005.50.
Probation Periods
Employment contracts in Turkey have a probation period of two months. During this time, the employer and the employee can evaluate if the working arrangement is a good fit.
The probation period can be shorter if both parties agree. Collective agreements can specify a probation period of up to four months.
Employer Taxes
Employers need to pay 22.75% of an employee’s salary gross salary in taxes. The breakdown of contributions is as follows:
- Pension, Disability, and Death Insurance: 11%
- General Health Insurance: 7.5%
- Unemployment Insurance: 2%
- Short-Term Insurance Branch Premium: 2.25%
Termination Process & Severance Pay
Under Turkey’s labor laws, employees can only be terminated for valid reasons, such as employee misconduct or poor performance. Employees with at least one year of service are entitled to severance equal to one month’s salary per year of service.
Employers are also required to provide employees with a notice of termination, which is based on the length of service.
- Less than 6 months: 2 weeks
- 6 months - 1.5 years: 4 weeks
- 1.5 years - 3 years: 6 weeks
- 3+ years: 8 weeks
Paid Leave Laws in Turkey
Vacation and Holiday
Employees with at least one year of service are entitled to paid annual leave (vacation). The amount of leave depends on the length of service.
- 1 - 5 years: 14 days
- 5 - 15 years: 20 days
- 15+ years: 26 days
All employees are entitled to various paid public holidays, including:
- New Year’s Day
- National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
- Labor and Solidarity Day
- Victory Day
- Republic Day
Sick Leave
Employees out of work due to illness receive sick pay from the government starting on the third day. And, while not mandatory, many employers opt to pay employees for the first two days of sick leave until the government benefits kick in.
Maternity Leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave. In most cases, eight weeks of leave are taken before the birth and eight weeks after the baby is born. For multiple births, the pre-birth period is 10 weeks. If a baby is premature, the unused pre-birth period can be taken post-birth.
Employees can also take unpaid leave until the baby is six months old.
Maternity leave in Turkey is paid at two-thirds of the employee's salary through the Social Security Institution (SSI). However, many employers choose to top up this amount so employees receive their full pay during leave.
Paternity Leave
New fathers are entitled to five days of paternity leave immediately following the birth of the baby, which the employer pays.
Why Digital Nomads Love Turkey
Turkey has vibrant expat communities, especially in cities like Istanbul and Bodrum. The cost of living is much lower than in the U.S. and much of Europe, and Turkey has beautiful beaches and a temperate climate. Additionally, Istanbul is well-connected to Europe, Asia, and Africa, making it easy for nomads to travel within the region.
With Turkey’s Digital Nomad Visa, nomads can stay in Turkey for up to one year. The visa is available to citizens of many European countries, the U.S., and Canada.
How to Pay Remote Workers in Turkey
There are a variety of methods to pay remote workers in Turkey, including digital payment services like PayPal or Wise. However, both the employer and the employee need to have an account with the same provider. International bank transfers are another option, but the process is very slow. Both digital payments and international bank transfers can also incur hefty fees.
In some cases, employees may prefer to be paid in cryptocurrency. However, there are some downsides to be aware of, including the fact that making payments in crypto adds complexity to accounting, tax reporting, and record keeping.
Another payment method to be aware of is working with an Employer of Record (EOR), which simplifies payroll processing for your Turkish employees.
Hire in Turkey with RemoFirst
If you’re hiring employees in Turkey, partnering with an EOR like RemoFirst ensures full compliance with local labor laws and tax regulations.
We support hiring in over 185 countries, including Turkey. Beyond payroll and compliance, RemoFirst also handles key HR functions like onboarding, shipping equipment, healthcare, and employee benefits.
Book a demo to see how RemoFirst can help you employ the best talent around the globe.
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