ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WORK PERMIT EXEMPTION APPLICATION SYSTEM

Dear Members,

According to the letter dated 12.12.2025 and numbered 554221 sent to our Association by the General Directorate of International Labor Force of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the Republic of Turkey, as of 01.01.2026, for foreigners who will work as tour operator representatives in our country;

- It is appropriate to apply for a work permit exemption (via e-Exemption) for foreigners who will work for up to eight (8) months (including 8 months).
- For foreigners who will work for more than eight (8) months, it is appropriate to apply for a work permit (via e-Permit).
- If a work permit application is submitted (via e-Permit), these applications will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria, regardless of whether the period for which the relevant foreign nationals will work exceeds eight (8) months.

It is stated.

The fundamental change made in the application is as follows: In 2024 and 2025, due to the system being new and awareness being limited, applications for foreign tour operator representatives for up to 8 months were mistakenly submitted as “E-Permit (Work Permit)” instead of “E-Exemption.” However, the Ministry exempted these applications from the general criteria to prevent any hardship. To prevent any inconvenience to our valued members, as of January 1, 2026: Applications for foreign tour operator representatives working for up to 8 months (including 8 months) must be submitted through the e-Exemption system. Otherwise, applications will be evaluated based on general criteria such as employment, financial adequacy, etc. Applications for foreign tour operator representatives working for more than 8 months must be submitted via the E-Permit (Work Permit) application.

Respectfully submitted for your information.

Association of Turkish Travel Agencies
TÜRSAB