Employment Contracts in Turkey: A Basic Guide for Foreign Employers
Employment contracts in Turkey are governed primarily by Labour Law No. 4857, and for a foreign business owner hiring their first member of staff — often for a tourism, hospitality or property-management venture — getting the contract type, probation period and termination terms right from the outset avoids the most common and most costly disputes. This article sets out the basic framework; the specific contract for your business should still be drafted or reviewed individually.
Employment Contracts in Turkey: The Main Contract Types
Turkish law recognises several contract structures, and choosing the right one matters more than founders sometimes expect. An indefinite-term contract is the default and most common form, offering employees stronger job security. A fixed-term contract is only valid where there is an objective reason for the fixed duration — a specific project, a seasonal need, or a temporary replacement — and cannot be used simply to avoid the protections that come with an indefinite contract. Part-time contracts are common in tourism and hospitality businesses with seasonal staffing needs, and carry their own pro-rated entitlements.
What a Compliant Contract Should Include
At a minimum, a written employment contract should clearly set out the job title and duties, the start date and, where relevant, the fixed term and its objective reason, the workplace location, working hours, gross salary and payment schedule, and the applicable notice and termination terms. Contracts for a period of one year or longer are legally required to be in writing; shorter engagements are still strongly advisable to document in writing, since an undocumented dispute over pay or duties is far harder to resolve later.
- 01Choose the Contract Type
Decide between indefinite, fixed-term (with a genuine objective reason) or part-time, based on the actual role.
- 02Draft the Written Contract
Set out duties, pay, hours, workplace and termination terms clearly, in Turkish.
- 03Register with SGK
Register the employee with the Social Security Institution before their first working day.
- 04Apply the Probation Period
Use the probation period (if included) to confirm fit before stronger termination protections apply.
- 05Track Notice & Severance Obligations
Keep tenure records accurate, since notice periods and severance eligibility both depend on length of service.
Probation Periods and Early Termination
Turkish law allows a probationary period of up to two months, which may be extended to four months where a collective bargaining agreement applies. During probation, either party may terminate the contract with a shorter, simplified procedure and without the notice or severance obligations that apply afterwards. Once probation ends, terminating an employee moves onto the standard framework — a genuine reason, proper notice, and correctly calculated severance where applicable — so the probation period is the point to confirm fit before those protections take full effect.
Notice Periods and Severance Pay
Outside probation, Turkish law sets notice periods that lengthen in stages as an employee's tenure increases, running from a couple of weeks for very short service up to two months or more for long-serving employees — the exact bands are set out in Labour Law No. 4857 and should be confirmed for the specific employee's length of service. Severance pay (kıdem tazminatı) generally becomes payable once an employee has completed at least one year of service and is terminated on qualifying grounds, calculated as 30 days' gross wage for each full year worked, up to a ceiling that is revised periodically by the government — the current ceiling should always be confirmed before finalising any termination calculation.
Foreign Employees Need Their Own Work Permit
If the business itself intends to employ a foreign national — not just be owned by one — that employee generally needs a work permit issued under the International Labour Force Law No. 6735, which is a separate process from the business owner's own residence permit. A work permit application is usually employer-led, and approval can take some time, so this should be planned for well before the intended start date rather than treated as a formality to sort out afterwards.
Local Context
Tourism and hospitality businesses around Fethiye frequently hire on a seasonal basis, taking on additional staff for the busy summer months and scaling back over winter — a pattern that makes the choice between a fixed-term and an indefinite contract, and the correct calculation of pro-rated entitlements for part-time or seasonal staff, a particularly practical, recurring question for foreign-owned businesses in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written contract for every employee?
Contracts for one year or longer are legally required to be in writing; for shorter engagements it is still strongly recommended, since an unwritten agreement is much harder to enforce or clarify if a dispute over pay, hours or duties arises later.
Can I use a fixed-term contract just to avoid giving an employee permanent status?
No — a fixed-term contract is only valid where there is a genuine objective reason for the fixed duration, such as a specific project or a seasonal role. Using one without such a reason risks the contract being treated as indefinite by a labour court, with the fuller protections that implies.
How long can a probation period last?
Up to two months as standard, extendable to four months where a collective bargaining agreement applies. Termination during probation follows a simpler process than termination afterwards.
When does an employee become entitled to severance pay?
Generally once they have completed at least one full year of service and their employment ends on qualifying grounds — resignation without a qualifying reason typically does not trigger severance, while termination by the employer without cause generally does. The specific circumstances should always be checked against the current rules.
Do I need to register a foreign employee with Turkish social security?
Yes — SGK registration is required for employees regardless of nationality, and should be completed before the employee's first working day, alongside confirming they hold a valid work permit if they are a foreign national themselves.
If you're planning to hire your first employee in Turkey, get in touch — see our Commercial & Company Law page for the full scope of what we help with.
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice; notice periods, severance ceilings and work permit requirements are periodically updated and should be confirmed for your specific situation.
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