Working in Turkey
Though most who move to Turkey do so for sunny skies and its ideal retirement options, there are still thousands of expats working in Turkey, and many more trying to relocate to take advantage of professional opportunities.
A limiting factor for foreign nationals has always been Turkey's conservative approach to the issue of work permits. Despite improvements in bureaucracy, the government is still hesitant to grant too many of these prized pieces of paperwork in lieu of the country's high unemployment rate.
In fact, recent legislation aimed at reducing the number of expats living and working in Turkey illegally has made it impossible for foreign nationals to make the beloved border runs of old; many who have been residents for years have had to return to their home countries.
Furthermore, the Turkish job market does not permit expats to work in specific fields.
Those who have been lucky enough to be teased abroad by an employer willing to sponsor their job contract will find the Turkish labour force generally hard working and dedicated; with few qualms about working after hours if necessary.
Taking all this into consideration, the Turkish economy is growing consistently, and as of late 2010 was even lauded by both the US and the British press for its complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector.
Thus, it is still possible for expats with an adequate skill set and a bit of determination to find jobs. Most often, foreigners obtain employment working in the tourism, teaching, real estate and finance fields in the more expat-friendly city of Istanbul. This major metropolis also presents opportunity in the engineering, information technology, human resources, design, business, marketing and sales departments; though positions in these fields are more of a rarity.
As in the past, there is plenty of opportunity for expats to teach English in Turkey, and many institutions merely require a college degree - no formal teaching training necessary. Adequate salaries accompany these positions, though expats looking to support a family will need a larger income.
As of late, many expats have moved to Turkey and started freelancing. Technically, this is illegal in Turkey, but plenty of photographers, writers and artists would surely argue otherwise.
Expats looking for a job in Turkey should consider using one of the following online sites to aid them in their search:
A limiting factor for foreign nationals has always been Turkey's conservative approach to the issue of work permits. Despite improvements in bureaucracy, the government is still hesitant to grant too many of these prized pieces of paperwork in lieu of the country's high unemployment rate. In fact, recent legislation aimed at reducing the number of expats living and working in Turkey illegally has made it impossible for foreign nationals to make the beloved border runs of old; many who have been residents for years have had to return to their home countries.
Furthermore, the Turkish job market does not permit expats to work in specific fields.
Those who have been lucky enough to be teased abroad by an employer willing to sponsor their job contract will find the Turkish labour force generally hard working and dedicated; with few qualms about working after hours if necessary.
Taking all this into consideration, the Turkish economy is growing consistently, and as of late 2010 was even lauded by both the US and the British press for its complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector.
Thus, it is still possible for expats with an adequate skill set and a bit of determination to find jobs. Most often, foreigners obtain employment working in the tourism, teaching, real estate and finance fields in the more expat-friendly city of Istanbul. This major metropolis also presents opportunity in the engineering, information technology, human resources, design, business, marketing and sales departments; though positions in these fields are more of a rarity.
As in the past, there is plenty of opportunity for expats to teach English in Turkey, and many institutions merely require a college degree - no formal teaching training necessary. Adequate salaries accompany these positions, though expats looking to support a family will need a larger income.
As of late, many expats have moved to Turkey and started freelancing. Technically, this is illegal in Turkey, but plenty of photographers, writers and artists would surely argue otherwise.
Expats looking for a job in Turkey should consider using one of the following online sites to aid them in their search:
- Yeni Bir Iş
- Kariyer
- Turkey Job Link
- Craigslist Istanbul
- Job Central
