How Does Minimum Wage Work in Türkiye?

In Türkiye, paying at least the minimum wage is mandatory. You cannot legally pay less than this. As of 2025, the net minimum wage is 22,104.67 Turkish Lira. The total cost to the employer, including taxes and social security, is 30,621.48 TL.

What Are Your Tax and Social Security Obligations as an Employer?

Every month, employers have to declare and pay social security premiums, income tax, and stamp tax.
This is done through a combined payroll and tax return. Also, salary payments must be made via bank transfer—cash payments are not allowed.

What About Employment Contracts and Working Arrangements?

If an employment contract lasts more than one year, it has to be in writing. Contracts can be either fixed-term or open-ended, and either full-time or part-time. You can set a probation period, but it can’t be longer than 2 months. During this time, both parties can end the contract without notice or severance.

How Long Is the Notice Period for Termination?

If the contract is open-ended, here’s how notice periods work:

  • If the employee has worked less than 6 months: 2 weeks’ notice
  • Between 6 months and 1.5 years: 4 weeks
  • Between 1.5 and 3 years: 6 weeks
  • More than 3 years: 8 weeks

If no notice is given, the employer must pay compensation instead.

How Do Overtime Rules Work in Türkiye?

If your employee works more than 45 hours a week, you need to pay 50% extra per hour.
But here’s the catch: you need the employee’s written consent for overtime. Also, total overtime can’t go over 270 hours per year. Instead of payment, employees can choose to take compensatory time off for those hours.

Can Employees Work on Public Holidays?

Yes, but only if the employment contract allows it or the employee agrees in writing.

How Does Paid Annual Leave Work?

Here’s how much paid vacation employees are entitled to:

  • 1 to 5 years of service: 14 working days
  • 5 to 15 years: 20 working days
  • More than 15 years: 26 working days
  • If the employee is under 18 or over 50, they get at least 20 working days

Leave can’t be split up into small parts. One portion must be at least 10 days.
If unused, vacation days must be paid out when the employee leaves. Employees can’t work at another job during their annual leave. If needed, they can also take up to 4 extra unpaid days for travel.

What About Marriage, Maternity, and Other Special Leave?

Employees are entitled to paid leave for marriage, childbirth, or the death of a close relative.
Maternity leave is 16 weeks total—8 weeks before birth, 8 after. Mothers also get 1.5 hours of breastfeeding leave each day, and they choose when to take it.

How Many Hours Can Employees Work per Day or Week?

The maximum working time per week is 45 hours. The maximum per day is 11 hours.
In special situations—like weather conditions or emergencies—missed work hours can be made up within 4 months.

How Are Daily Work Hours Arranged?

Starting and ending times, break periods, and lunch hours should be clearly posted at the workplace. A typical workday is 7.5 hours, but break times like lunch are not counted as working hours. Depending on the nature of the job, shift work is also allowed.

Knowing your obligations as an employer in Türkiye helps you avoid legal risks, and more importantly, it helps you build a fair and professional workplace.


Legal Notice: The information in this article is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended for professional information purposes specific to a person or an institution. Every institution has different requirements because of its own circumstances even though they bear a resemblance to each other. Consequently, it is your interest to consult on an expert before taking a decision based on information stated in this article and putting into practice. Neither Karen Audit nor related person or institutions are not responsible for any damages or losses that might occur in consequence of the use of the information in this article by private or formal, real or legal person and institutions.