Pehlivan & Güven Law FirmPublished:
If you are thinking of employing a foreign caregiver at home to look after an elderly or sick person or a child, you must first obtain a work permit. Domestic services are subject to different rules from companies: since the employer is a family rather than a company, the Ministry looks not at the size of the workplace but at the need for care and the family's ability to pay. In addition, domestic services are one of the rare areas in which an application can be made from within Türkiye for a foreigner who does not hold a residence permit in Türkiye.
Short answer
Yes, you can employ a foreigner at home for the care of an elderly or disabled person or a child, or as a companion for a sick person; however, you must first obtain a work permit. The application is made by the person to be cared for or a relative, the "five Turkish employees" requirement does not apply, but the family must document a regular income. In 2026, the official cost of a 1-year permit is 13,538.90 TL.
In domestic services, permits are granted for only four jobs: childcare, care of a disabled person, care of an elderly person and companion care for a sick person. Permits cannot be obtained through this route for house cleaning, driving, gardening or cooking. In practice, permits are not granted to male foreigners to work in private homes.
For childcare: In the case of married parents, the mother or father; in the case of divorced parents, the parent with custody; the adoptive parent; the guardian; the foster mother or father; the mother of a child born outside marriage or the father who has acknowledged the child may apply.
For elderly or disabled care, or companion care for a sick person: The person to be cared for themselves; their first- or second-degree relatives (such as a child, grandchild or sibling); or, if they are under guardianship, their guardian or, with the guardian's consent, their first- or second-degree relatives may apply.
The family relationship between the applicant and the person to be cared for is checked automatically by the e-İzin system against the records of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs. For this reason, an application cannot be made, for example, on behalf of a neighbour or friend.
The person to be cared for, or their relatives by blood or marriage up to the second degree who will support the care, must have an adequate, continuous and regular income documented by institutions. A pension, payslip, rental income or tax certificate may be submitted for this purpose.
If there is no such relative, the income document of another person with a family connection who will support the care is required, together with a notarised undertaking that they will support the employer. In practice, this requirement is the most common reason for domestic services applications being rejected; the income must appear sufficient to cover a caregiver's wage at minimum wage level and the social security premium.
Wage: The wage paid to the caregiver may not be less than the gross minimum wage. For 2026, the gross minimum wage is 33,030 TL.
Five Turkish employees and financial adequacy: These criteria, which apply to companies, do not apply to domestic services; the income requirement above takes their place.
Other matters the Ministry considers: The health and age of the person to be cared for; the caregiver's education, experience, knowledge of Turkish, history in Türkiye, marital status and age; the family's socio-economic situation.
If abroad: The caregiver obtains a reference number from the Turkish consulate in their own country, and the family applies with this number within 30 days.
If in Türkiye with a residence permit: The application is made from within Türkiye with a valid residence permit of at least 6 months.
If in Türkiye without a residence permit: Provided that they entered by legal means, it is possible to apply from within Türkiye for domestic services. This situation is explained in detail in the series article "Can a Foreigner Without a Residence Permit Get a Work Permit?".
If a student: Work permit applications in domestic services on behalf of persons holding a student residence permit are assessed negatively.
If coming from another family: If a caregiver obtained through an application from abroad wishes to move to another family within 6 months of the start of the permit, the application is rejected unless there is force majeure.
Applications with complete documents are by law decided within 30 days; a request for missing documents extends this period. The first permit is granted for a maximum of 1 year.
| Item (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Work permit fee, 1 year | 12,574.90 TL |
| Valuable paper (card) fee | 964.00 TL |
| Total official cost | 13,538.90 TL |
This amount does not include the caregiver's monthly wage and the SGK (social security) premium. You can pay the fee by credit card through the Digital Tax Office or at branches of Ziraat Bankası, Halkbank or VakıfBank; the exact amount must be paid.
1. A daughter living abroad is looking for a caregiver for her 82-year-old mother living in Ankara. The daughter, who lives in Germany, can apply because she is a first-degree relative. She applies with her own e-signature; alternatively, her mother or another first- or second-degree relative in Türkiye may apply. For the income requirement, the mother's pension and the daughter's income document may be submitted together.
2. A childminder for working parents. A married couple wishes to employ a foreign childminder for their 2-year-old child. Either the mother or the father applies. The Ministry looks at the couple's regular income and the child's age; as the child grows older, the reason for the need must be explained more thoroughly.
3. A caregiver in Türkiye as a tourist. The family has reached an agreement with a caregiver whose visa period in Türkiye is still running. Even though the caregiver does not hold a residence permit, it is possible to apply from within Türkiye for domestic services. It is important that the application is made before the visa period expires.
An objection to a rejection decision may be filed within 30 days; if the objection is also rejected, a lawsuit may be filed within 60 days. For details, see the article "Challenging a Work Permit Refusal: Objection and Annulment Action".
SGK: The caregiver must be registered with social security. Earnings subject to premiums may not be lower than the wage declared in e-İzin.
Wage: Paying less than the declared wage is grounds for cancellation of the permit.
Notification: Circumstances requiring the termination of the permit, such as the caregiver leaving the job, must be notified to the Ministry within 15 days.
Extension: An extension application may be made from 60 days before the permit expires; on the first extension with the same family, a permit of up to 2 years may be granted.
The penalty for employing a caregiver without a permit (2026): an administrative fine of 102,503 TL for the family per caregiver and 40,977 TL for the caregiver (Article 23 of Law No. 6735). For repeat offences the fines are doubled and a deportation order may be issued against the caregiver.
No. In domestic services, permits are granted only for childcare, disabled care, elderly care and companion care for a sick person.
In practice, permits are not granted to male foreigners to work in private homes.
No. As long as the work permit is valid, it serves as a residence permit.
Yes, but the new family must make a new application. If a caregiver who came through an application from abroad moves to another family within the first 6 months, the application is rejected unless there is force majeure.
The basis for the permit ceases to exist. The situation must be notified to the Ministry within 15 days.
Work permits for foreigners in domestic services are subject to different rules from those for company employees. The key elements of the process are that the family documents a regular income, that the right person applies and that the need for care is concretely demonstrated. As of 2026, the official cost of a 1-year permit is 13,538.90 TL, which does not include the caregiver's wage and the SGK premium. We recommend that you consult a lawyer about your specific situation.
