Contents (7 sections)
Requests for a work permit in Sakarya and for residence permits come from three different sources: factories in the organized industrial zones, universities that host large numbers of foreign students, and tourist areas, Sapanca above all, where foreigners buy homes. We draw up a separate roadmap for each group: foreign work permits for employers, foreign caregiver work permits for families, and residence permits for students and settled foreigners. Fast Danışmanlık has handled these files end to end since 2010.
Why are work permit and residence needs in Sakarya different?
The first source is industry. Sakarya is one of the important centers of the automotive and rail systems industry in Turkey (officially Türkiye). Automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers around Arifiye and Adapazarı, rail vehicle production, and the hundreds of supplier companies that provide them with parts operate in organized industrial zones (OSBs) at different points of the province, Hendek and Arifiye in particular. A significant share of these businesses are mid-sized SMEs.
The second source is the university. The campuses in Serdivan host a large number of foreign students, and these students' residence permits, and their plans to stay and work in Turkey after graduation, call for separate expertise. The third source is tourism: the area around Lake Sapanca is one of the favorite destinations for visitors from the Gulf countries and for foreigners buying summer homes. The coastline and hazelnut orchards of Karasu and Kocaali, meanwhile, bring seasonal labor needs with them.
Work permit in Sakarya for OSB businesses and SMEs
The work permit application is filed by the employer, and the permit is issued for a specific workplace. The application is made online via e-Devlet (Turkey's e-Government portal) to the e-İzin system of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS); you do not need to submit a petition in Adapazarı or any other province. We explain the process from start to finish in our Turkey work permit guide.
The issue SMEs struggle with most is the financial criterion. For an existing company, paid-in capital must be at least 500,000 TL, net sales at least 8,000,000 TL, or exports at least 150,000 USD; meeting one of these is enough. In addition, at least 5 Turkish citizens must be employed for each foreigner. Most supplier companies meet this requirement through their export or net sales figures.
Newly established companies and foreign partners
If you want to set up a new company in Sakarya and employ foreign specialists, paid-in capital of at least 500,000 TL is required. If a foreign partner of the company is going to obtain a work permit for themselves, their capital share must be at least 500,000 TL and their stake at least 20 percent; partners who invest 100,000 USD or more are exempt from these conditions. Setting up a company without thinking about the permit application can later create extra costs, such as a capital increase. For all of the employer's obligations, see our company work permit page.
Graduating foreign students
Foreigners graduating from universities in Sakarya often ask, "Can I work here after I graduate?" As a rule, a work permit application from within Turkey requires a residence permit valid for at least 6 months, and a student residence permit does not, as a rule, count toward this requirement. That is why the graduation date, the residence permit's expiry date and the employer's application timing must be planned together; in some cases, switching to a short-term residence permit or applying from abroad is considered.
Hazelnut harvest and seasonal work
Employers who want to hire foreign workers for short peaks such as the hazelnut harvest in Karasu, Kocaali and Akyazı or the tourist season in Sapanca must, as a rule, obtain a work permit even if the job is short. Because different rules may apply to certain special statuses, we review each worker's status case by case. The price of unauthorized employment is high: heavy administrative fines are imposed separately on the employer and on the foreigner, and the foreigner faces the risk of deportation and an entry ban. That is why we recommend planning the application before the season starts.
Foreign caregiver work permit in Sakarya
There is a situation we see often in Sakarya: elderly parents living in a village home in Geyve, Pamukova or Taraklı, while their children work in Adapazarı or Serdivan. In this case, the elderly caregiver work permit application can be made by the person in need of care or by one of their first- or second-degree relatives, for example their son or daughter. The address where the caregiver will work is the home where the person being cared for lives.
The permit is granted only for childcare, elderly care, care of a person with a disability and patient companionship; a foreign caregiver permit cannot be obtained for cleaning or farm work. The Ministry assesses the age and health of the person to be cared for, the family's regular income, and the caregiver's experience and Turkish. If the elderly person's own income is insufficient, a supporting family member documents their income and provides a notarized letter of undertaking. The caregiver is employed at least at the minimum wage and registered with the Social Security Institution (SGK). For details, see our guide to hiring a legal caregiver for your parents.
Residence permit in Sakarya (oturma / ikamet izni)
Foreigners living in Sakarya apply through the e-İkamet online residence permit system and then attend the appointment at the Sakarya Provincial Directorate of Migration Management with their documents. The most common permits are the student residence permit for students, the family residence permit for families, and the short-term residence permit for foreigners who own a home in Sapanca or Serdivan or want to stay for a long time. You can find the application steps on our residence permit application page.
The card fee is 964 TL; the permit fee varies by nationality and does not differ depending on the province you live in. You can see the amount for your nationality with our residence permit fee calculator. The current tariff of the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM) is the reference for the exact amount. Also keep in mind that in neighborhoods with many student dormitories and rental flats, foreign registration may be closed under the population density rule; we check the address before you sign a lease. If you have lived in Sakarya for many years and want to move toward citizenship, our roadmap from residence permit to citizenship will be useful.
Free calculatorForeign Employee Quota in Turkey: 2026 CalculatorUse your Turkish headcount and financial data to see how many foreigners your company can employ and your remaining…Sakarya districts we serve
We offer the same level of care in all 16 districts of Sakarya: Adapazarı, Serdivan and Erenler in the center; Arifiye, Hendek, Akyazı and Ferizli, where industry stands out; Sapanca with its tourism and lakeshore; Karasu and Kocaali on the Black Sea coast; and Geyve, Pamukova, Taraklı, Karapürçek, Kaynarca and Söğütlü, where agriculture and village life dominate.
How we work: four steps to a work permit in Sakarya
- Situation analysis
In our meeting we clarify your company's criteria, the student's residence timeline or your family's care needs.
- Digital document file
We collect the documents by email or WhatsApp and correct missing or faulty ones before the application.
- e-Devlet and e-İkamet application
We prepare the work permit application in the e-İzin system and the residence application via e-İkamet.
- Appointment and result tracking
We track the migration directorate appointment, any additional document requests and the fee payment period, and let you know the result.
You do not need to come to our office; we serve clients all over Turkey remotely, just as we serve our clients in Sakarya.
Why Fast Danışmanlık?
Industrial, student and family files each have their own rules, and with 16 years of experience we prepare every file separately according to those rules. We never promise approval; what we do is maximize your chances of approval with a complete file. For procedures in neighboring provinces, take a look at our work permit in Kocaeli and our services in Bilecik pages, and see the other provinces on our service regions page.
Districts we serve in Sakarya
Sakarya: frequently asked questions
No. Work permits are not assessed province by province but centrally by the Ministry; your employer applies via e-Devlet, and the documents are uploaded to the system digitally. A foreigner who obtains a work permit does not need a separate residence permit either.
Yes. You can apply if you have 5 Turkish employees for each foreigner and capital, sales or export figures that meet the financial criterion. For foreigners who have held legal status in Turkey for at least 1 year in the last 3 years, these criteria do not apply for up to 3 people per workplace. You can see your quota with our quota calculator.
Yes, but an employer must file the application. Because a student residence permit does not, as a rule, count toward the 6-month residence requirement for applications from within Turkey, the graduation and residence dates need to be planned in advance.
Yes, foreigners who own property in Turkey can apply for a short-term residence permit. We prepare your application with your title deed, health insurance and proof of financial means; you can find the details on our short-term residence permit page.
Yes. The application can be made by your father, or by you as a first- or second-degree relative. If your father's income is insufficient, the file is strengthened with the income of a supporting family member and a notarized letter of undertaking.