Expert Info
on 11 Jul 2011
hi my name is prashant, working in an MNC bank, i moved to istanbul last year. and this year my wife has also joined me. wanted to know if she can also get a job in istanbul. she had been working in bank back in india. the reason why i am asking this question, is that i have been informed that as per turkish regulation, if the expat is working, than the spouse cannot get a job unless one of them have completed min 5 years of work in istanbul
I can't speak from experience but according to the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security it seems that there are no restrictions on your wife working. That said, she cannot piggyback a work permit on yours - meaning, just because you have a work permit and she's your wife doesn't mean she automatically qualifies for a work permit.
She can apply for her own work permit based on her own skillset if another bank would like to hire her in Turkey.
That said, if you can prove that you've resided in Turkey for five years together (which it doesnt' seem like you have) then she qualifies to automatically get the work permit.