site.btaTurkiye Grants Labour Market Privileges to Foreign Nationals of Turkic Origin

With a decree signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkiye has introduced new employment privileges for foreign citizens of Turkic origin residing in the country, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported.

Under the decree, promulgated in the Turkish State Gazette, individuals of Turkic descent who hold foreign citizenship will no longer be classified as “foreign nationals” in the context of employment regulations. The new rules provide facilitated access to jobs in both the public and private sectors, including positions in culture and the arts, where Turkish citizenship had previously been a mandatory requirement.

According to Assoc. Prof. Bahadir Bumin Ozarslan of the Faculty of Law at Hacettepe University in Ankara, the reform will allow skilled professionals to contribute positively to Turkiye’s development, while also strengthening the material and spiritual dimensions of Turkic identity and enhancing its appeal at local, regional, and global levels.

Experts note that demographic shifts, a shortage of labour in agriculture and livestock breeding, and accelerated migration from rural areas to cities have made such a reform increasingly necessary. The new framework is expected to better utilize qualified Turkic-origin workers, especially in strategic sectors, thereby creating significant added value for the Turkish economy.

According to data from the Turkish Directorate General for Migration Management, as of 2020 there were 1,333,410 foreign nationals of Turkic origin residing in the country. The presidential decree strengthens their legal status and broadens the range of sectors in which they may be employed.