Jobs and Salaries in Turkey

By Justin Mays:

Are you looking for a job in Turkey? Curious about salaries in Turkey? Working in Turkey can seem daunting without knowing anything about the local economy or typical wages. Take information from this article to start your job hunt by learning about some of the best easy-to-navigate websites for job hunting in Turkey. Soon you will be well on your way to finding employment in Turkey. 

Salaries in Turkey

The minimum monthly wage in Turkey is 5.500 Turkish Lira net (USD 314 as of July 2022). According to Glassdoor, the average monthly salary for higher-level jobs such as directors is 48.515 Turkish Lira (USD 2.774 as of July 2022). 

Average wages hover around 10.000 TL monthly, with most workers taking home 7.825 TL (453 USD) net. The top sectors include information and communications (100.467 TL) and Finance and Insurance (95.314 TL). 

How to look for a job in Turkey?

Linkedin, the professional networking site, is used worldwide, and Turkey is no exception. This site is easy to navigate and allows employers to post jobs. Asking your local networks or looking directly at the industries you are interested in will round out your chances of finding a career in Turkey. 

Jobs in Turkey: what to expect

Foreigners without Turkish language skills often find employment in the following areas: education, tourism, editing and writing, import/export sales specialists, childcare, and the medical industry. Some people transfer from international companies and organizations and keep the higher salaries at home. 

Larger cities will generally have more opportunities, Istanbul is the country's economic center, but Ankara, Gaziantep, and many coastal towns have good employment prospects too. 

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), in April 2022, the unemployment rate was 11.3%. Broad unemployment is currently at 21.7%

Read the types of work permits in Turkey blog for more information. 

Banned professions for foreigners in Turkey

Unless you are a foreigner of Turkish origin, the following occupations are not open to foreign hire:

-Medical field: dentistry, midwife, nursing

-Pharmacists

-Veterinary Medicine

-Hospital directors

-Advocacy

-Notary Public

-Judges

-Customs Brokerage

-Security officers in public or private settings

-Photography

-Barber 

-Janitor

-Stock market brokerage 

-Tourism Guide

-Chauffeur

-Maritime professions: captain, piloting and carrying passengers, diving and foraging for pearls, mussels, sponges, oysters, fish, etc., engineering, clerk, and crew

What jobs can foreigners do in Turkey?

With the right language skills, educational background, and work experience, most other professions will be open to foreign professionals. There is a law that there should be at least five Turkish citizens for every foreign hire in any workplace. 

Language requirements for jobs in Turkey