Türkiye bars foreigners from 29 professions

Türkiye has published a list of 29 professions that foreign nationals are legally prohibited from practising, with restrictions covering healthcare, law, education, private security, finance, tourism, transport and maritime services.

The restrictions apply to foreign nationals regardless of their qualifications or professional experience and are backed by specific national laws and regulations.

According to a report published on MSN, Microsoft’s online news platform on Thursday, the Turkish government clarified that the prohibitions are legal restrictions rather than temporary administrative decisions.

The development provides foreign nationals seeking employment in Türkiye with a clearer understanding of occupations they are legally permitted to pursue.

Healthcare and legal professions

Several healthcare occupations are restricted to Turkish nationals under the country’s legal framework.

These include dentistry, medical services and veterinary medicine. Foreign nationals are also prohibited from working as hospital care workers or serving as responsible managers of private hospitals.

Other restricted healthcare positions include supervisors and licence holders of independent healthcare units.

The legal profession is also largely closed to foreign nationals, with restrictions covering lawyers, notaries, judges, prosecutors, civil dispute mediators and concordat commissioners.

These provisions prevent foreigners from occupying the listed professional positions within Türkiye’s formal justice system.

Private security, finance and education

The restrictions also extend to private security services, where foreign nationals cannot establish or manage private security companies, work as private security officers or serve as neighbourhood and market guards.

In the financial and administrative sectors, prohibited positions include certified public accountants, sworn-in certified public accountants, assistant customs consultants and cooperative board members.

The education sector is similarly affected, as foreigners are prohibited from establishing schools operating in languages other than Turkish or teaching in such institutions.

Tourism, transport and aviation

Related News

• Canada sets 18 as minimum age for adult citizenship applications
• A boost for healthcare
• FG secures $65m pledges to reduce maternal, newborn deaths

Foreign nationals are also barred from working as tourist guides and travel agency supervisors.

Other restricted occupations include transport organisers, honorary traffic inspectors and trainee aviation information management officers.

The measures form part of Türkiye’s regulations governing access to certain professions and services by non-citizens.

Maritime activities and other restricted occupations

Türkiye’s restrictions also cover several activities within its territorial waters.

Foreign nationals are prohibited from engaging in diving, exploration, piloting, captaining, navigation and crewing vessels in the country’s territorial waters.

Commercial exports of certain marine products, including fish, oysters, mussels, sponges, pearls and corals, are also restricted.

Other occupations on the list include sports counsellors, agricultural labour intermediaries, ship agency officials and employees, as well as permanent mining supervisors and technical staff.

Foreign medical assistants working outside approved specialist training programmes are also covered by the restrictions.

What the restrictions mean for foreign jobseekers

The publication of the list provides foreign nationals and employers with a reference point when assessing eligibility for employment in Türkiye.

The restrictions mean that possessing relevant academic qualifications, professional certifications or years of experience does not automatically make a foreign applicant eligible to practise an occupation reserved by law.

Foreign nationals, including Nigerians and other Africans seeking employment opportunities in Türkiye, are therefore advised to establish whether their intended professions are legally open to them before applying for work permits or making relocation arrangements.

Employers are also expected to comply with the relevant national laws when recruiting foreign workers.

The Turkish government maintains that the restrictions are supported by existing legislation and regulations governing professional practice and employment in the country.