Turks Abroad in Turkey: New Restrictions Instead of Simplifications

Recently, social media has been flooded with claims that foreigners of Turkic origin can now work in Turkey without permits or any formal procedures. However, a careful analysis of the applicable legislation shows that these claims are inaccurate.

Law No. 2527 and the 1982 Implementation Decree

Law No. 2527 (1981) regulates the employment of foreigners of Turkic origin in Turkey. The law does not abolish work permits and does not grant automatic rights to employment. It merely establishes a preferential, but permit-based, framework.

The 1982 Implementation Decree laid out the procedure for issuing work permits: residence permit, verification of professional qualifications and diplomas, registration in a special registry, and compliance with national security requirements. Previously, the status of “Turkic origin” was determined flexibly based on documents, ethnocultural characteristics, and administrative practice, allowing a wide range of individuals to benefit from the preferential regime.

2025 Presidential Amendments

On October 9, 2025, the President of Turkey issued amendments to the 1982 Decree. The key changes include:

Definition of “Turkic origin”: The status is now determined by authorized authorities, and the list of recognized Turkic ethnic groups is approved by the President. This significantly narrows the pool of eligible individuals. Stricter conditions for work permits: New evaluative criteria expand the discretionary powers of government authorities. The procedure has become more bureaucratic and less predictable.

Technical changes: The term “Council of Ministers” was replaced with “President” due to the transition to a presidential system of governance.

Legal Analysis

These amendments do not simplify the employment process for foreigners of Turkic origin. On the contrary, they introduce additional restrictions and strengthen state oversight. Claims circulating on social media suggesting that these foreigners can work without permits are legally unfounded.

Conclusion

The 2025 Presidential decision: does not expand the rights of foreigners of Turkic origin, does not ease the process of obtaining work permits, introduces new bureaucratic hurdles and subjective criteria, significantly narrows the group of individuals eligible for the benefits under Law No. 2527.

In short, the new changes strengthen regulation and administrative control, rather than removing the requirement for work permits.