Working in Turkey

[Bebelka]

Hi Celtic,
welcome to the forum. I would be very much appricieate if you could advise me on the rules re working in Turkey.
I know we are not allowed to work, what if I started a buissiness? Can I do this on my own or do I need a Turkish partner?

I am due to retire next year and move out to Turkey, but I do not feel ready to give up work, can you please advise how I could work in Turkey legally please.
There must be some options available.
Many Thanks

 

[dalyansteve]

Re: Thread For Legal Support

Bebelka, you will not have time to work when you retire here. so do not even think about it. A trip to Band Q is a major expedition to most of us, not a 5 minute detour. And anything official will take up the rest of your free time. You do not get reminders for your bills you have to remember and that is everything, car tax, insurance and locall taxes. At least you can pay, electric, water, digiturk and credit cards by a sort of direct debit. God help you if it goes wrong. Try some of the hobies that you never had time for in the UK when you worked. That will be a full time job just finding the most basic supplies.

 

[Lindacm]

Hi Celtic,
welcome to the forum. I would be very much appricieate if you could advise me on the rules re working in Turkey.
I know we are not allowed to work, what if I started a buissiness? Can I do this on my own or do I need a Turkish partner?

I am due to retire next year and move out to Turkey, but I do not feel ready to give up work, can you please advise how I could work in Turkey legally please.
There must be some options available.
Many Thanks

Hi,

I do not know of anyone who has managed to do this legally...unless perhaps working for a British company maybe.

However a member's son (Gregg) seems to be doing it, so I guess it is possible. Perhaps contact her and ask her to contact her son for advice? Maybe an idea? Her name is Rosewall1.

Linda

 

[Mushtaq]

You can own and run a company in Turkey as a foreigner, but you can't work yourself without a work permit.

 

[dalyansteve]

I have yet to find anyone who has started a business with a turkish partner, who will say it is successfull. All positive coments to the contrary will be gratefully received. To start a business you do not need a turkish partner. Forget anything about bars or restaurants or any other business that a Turk can do, you will not get a work permit.
If you have something that is completely unique, go ahead and try, beware if it is good it will be copied either side of you, whether you are the best or not.

Mushtaq, you are so pc sometimes. But then some one has to be so you are probably the best candidate. DO you not ever feel like ranting and raving??


Ps. Please don't ban me. There must be times when you all get frustrated, even though we live here and would not want to be anywhere else???

 

[Helenm150]

You can own and run a company in Turkey as a foreigner, but you can't work yourself without a work permit.

No, but if you own a Turkish Limited Company and run a business through that company, you can employ Turkish nationals to work in that business, and you can supervise/manage that business, and although you can't work in that business yourself, the profits from that business (after you pay everything you need to pay for running that business and for employing Turkish nationals in that business) are, as managing director of that Turkish Limited Company and owner of that business, paid into your Turkish Limited Company bank account and minus your accountancy fees, kdv and other taxes are yours.

 

[dalyansteve]

So not much left Helen?

I also notice with alarm that Celtic has not commented so far!!!!

 

[Mushtaq]

Helen, that's basically what I said but in a concise format, thanks for expanding.

In my experience there is little left after you have paid for all the fees and taxes.

Running a company in Turkey is lot more expensive then I had expected, accountancy fees are too high and service very poor, don't expect much from accountants for the high fees, they are just book keepers.

 

[Helenm150]

So not much left Helen?

I also notice with alarm that Celtic has not commented so far!!!!

Well, I suppose it depends if you can find a reliable Turkish manager to run the business for you and if you have a profitable business or not. The costs of running a business in Turkey or in any other country have to be taken into consideration. The only additional cost for a non-Turkish person to run a business in Turkey is the formation of a Turkish Limited Company (about £1,000) and monthly accountancy fees and, interestingly, monthly accountancy fees for a trading company are not much more than for a non trading company. What I am saying is yes, of course it is possible.

 

[Valian]

Re: Thread For Legal Support

Bebelka, you will not have time to work when you retire here. so do not even think about it. A trip to B and Q is a major expedition to most of us, not a 5 minute detour. And anything official will take up the rest of your free time. You do not get reminders for your bills you have to remember and that is everything, car tax, insurance and locall taxes. At least you can pay, electric, water, digiturk and credit cards by a sort of direct debit. God help you if it goes wrong. Try some of the hobies that you never had time for in the UK when you worked. That will be a full time job just finding the most basic supplies.

How true Steve!

Also, I don't know any Brits in business here who are not desperate to sell.

 

[alison09400]

Basically, you cannot lift a finger even if you own a business or a turkish company.....you need a turkish manager and turkish staff. If you want to work in your own business/turkish company you need a Work Permit.

 

[Helenm150]

Basically, you cannot lift a finger even if you own a business or a turkish company.....you need a turkish manager and turkish staff. If you want to work in your own business/turkish company you need a Work Permit.

That's not strictly speaking true - as an owner of a business in Turkey registered to a Turkish Limited Company, you can be involved in the marketing and promotion of that business.

 

[alison09400]

That's not strictly speaking true - as an owner of a business in Turkey registered to a Turkish Limited Company, you can be involved in the marketing and promotion of that business.

Promotion and Marketing are background stuff....but if you own a bar you can't pull a pint or cook anything in your restaurant without a work permit. I don't think many people are aware of this.

 

[Bebelka]

Thank you all for your replies, suggestions and advise it has been a great help.
What if I offered a service only to ex-pats, that a Turkish person could not fullfill, could I work then? What if I have residency permit would that make a difference?
Not saying what as it has been suggested, it will be copied. I feel I have spotted a gap in the market, it will only be for ex-pats but thought could set it up as a company to cover the working rules but I was not aware that I could not work my self.
All advise gratfully recived.

 

[Mushtaq]

Same rules apply, if you work in Turkey you need a work permit, simple as that.

 

[Akasya]

What you would need is a marketable skill that is in extremely short supply. Literally turkish speaking Doctor, Surgeon, or Legal type that a Turkish employer could honestly say that they could not find elsewhere.

My employer purchased a large business in Turkey, they have great trouble in getting permission for senior Managers, Strategists and Business Analysts, to attend and carry out research on the business that they 1oo% own.

Investment may be delayed or not follow at all, due to a perceived commercial intransigence by the Turkish Government. Sourcing of citrus and vegetables is being moved to other nearby countries, mainly due to their willingness to trade.

Once again Turkey may find itself in the slow lane.

Steve.

 

[immac]

Literally turkish speaking Doctor, Surgeon, or Legal type

Steve.

Sorry, but at least two of these three of these are restricted to Turks. I think there is legislation going through at the moment that might allow foreign doctors, but not yet. I have a vague recollection that the same goes for the legal profession too.

Ian

 

[niyaz]

Has anyone noticed there is no kfc in dalaman or any town nearby. Great potential if some one wants to open a bussiness in Turkey.

 

[red]

Bebelka - I love reading threads relating to working in Turkey. I have a long term plan to open a private rehabilitation centre (addictions) in Bodrum. It is plan A, plan B - A is scrapped if my youngest son turns out to be academic; he is due to start primary school in September. In 5 years all of the oldest children will have left high school (two are grown up already), so I will only have his education to consider. If he is average I believe his development will benefit from being educated in Turkey.

 

[Lindacm]

You can own and run a company in Turkey as a foreigner, but you can't work yourself without a work permit.

Hi Mushtaq,

That's what I thought too, but Gregg (the sausage man) seems to have found a way around this. His mum reported recently that he has a business and is working in it legally.