TURKEY: Higher Minimum Salary for 2018

January 19, 2018


Effective 1st January 2018, the Turkish Labour Ministry has announced increased minimum salary requirements.

What is the new minimum salary?

The new minimum salary rates are:

  • Gross minimum monthly salary: TRY 2029.50 (up from TRY 1777.50);
  • Net minimum monthly salary: TRY 1603.12 (up from TRY 1404.06).

Other salary requirements

Aside from this minimum salary requirement, the salary to be paid to the foreign employee must be commensurate with the position considered. Specifically:

  • High level managers, pilots, engineers and architects granted an interim work permit cannot be paid less than 6.5 times the minimum salary (or TRY 13,191.75 gross per month)
  • Departmental managers, engineers and architects cannot be paid less than 4 times the minimum salary (or TRY 8118 gross per month)
  • Employees working in a position requiring expertise (note: this is not defined) and teachers cannot be paid less than 3 times the minimum salary (or TRY 6088.50 gross per month)
  • Employees working as an acrobat or similar positions for tourism and entertainment organisations, masseurs and spa therapists cannot be paid less than twice the minimum salary (or TRY 4059 gross per month)
  • All others cannot be paid less than 1.5 times the minimum salary (or TRY 3044.25 gross per month)

Salary requirements above are not inclusive of benefits of any kind and must be maintained throughout the validity of the work permit.

Our Advice

Employers are advised to review the salaries of their foreign national employees in Turkey to ensure compliance with the new minimum gross monthly salary.

For advice and information on immigration to Turkey in general, please email us at [email protected].