Turkey

Living, work, immigration, education & business — official links and practical guides

Key Facts

Basics

Currency

TRY

Region

Southern Europe

Local time

UTC+3

Europe/Istanbul

Economy

Population

85.52M

GDP (current US$)

$1.36T

GDP per capita

$15,893

Source: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0) · 2024 · Last checked: 2026-07-06

Tax snapshot

Corporate tax

25%

VAT

20%

Top individual income tax

40%

Capital-gains tax

Listed shares exempt

Gains on Borsa Istanbul-listed equities acquired after 2006 carry 0% withholding (Provisional Art. 67, extended to 2030); other gains are taxed as income, up to 40%. Corporate is 25%, or 30% for financial-sector companies. Gains are taxed as ordinary income rather than under a separate regime, so the capital-gains figure tracks the personal top rate.

Source: National tax authority · Cross-check: OECD · PwC · KPMG · Last checked: 2026-07-16

Headline statutory rates. The income-tax figure includes national surtaxes; any regional or municipal layer is shown beside it. Social contributions and reliefs are excluded. Verify the current rate with the authority before relying on it.

At a glance

A large domestic market bridging Europe and Asia, with a low cost base and one of the few citizenship-by-investment routes outside the Caribbean — set against persistent currency volatility.

Best for

Investors and property buyers, remote earners paid in hard currency, and companies serving both European and Middle Eastern markets.

Who this may not suit

People who need cost predictability — inflation has repeatedly reset rents, fees and salary expectations within a single year.

Main routes in

Short-term residence permit (ikamet) The common first status for remote earners; renewals depend on your registered address district. Employer-sponsored work permit Filed by the employer with the labour ministry; the permit doubles as your residence permit. Citizenship by investment Property or capital investment held for a minimum period can lead to naturalisation.

Key trade-offs

Currency volatility and inflation erode salaries paid in lira; earning in a foreign currency changes the calculation entirely.
Some districts are closed to new foreign residence registrations, which can force a move before renewal.
Turkish is needed for most local employment, tenancy and government offices.

First steps

1 Get a tax number and open a local bank account — both gate almost every later step.
2 Secure a registered address before booking the residence-permit appointment; the district decides eligibility.
3 Take out the required health insurance before the appointment, not after.
4 If investing, use a licensed valuation and keep the holding period documented from day one.

What changes often

· Property-value thresholds for investment citizenship
· Residence-permit rules and district-level closures
· Inflation-linked fees, rents and minimum-income tests

Investment thresholds, eligible districts and permit rules change frequently — confirm current requirements with the Presidency of Migration Management before committing money. Presidency of Migration Management ↗