Türkiye Names 29 Professions Foreign Nationals Are Prohibited From Practising

• Türkiye officially released a list of 29 professions that foreign nationals are legally barred from practising in the country
• The restrictions cover a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, law, education, security, finance, tourism, transport and maritime services
• The Turkish government confirmed that each banned profession is backed by a specific national law or regulation, not administrative discretion

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Türkiye has officially published a comprehensive list of 29 professions that foreign nationals are prohibited from working in, covering sectors from healthcare and law to maritime activities and private security.

The Turkish government stated that each restriction is grounded in a specific national law or regulation, meaning the prohibitions carry legal force rather than being policy preferences subject to change.

Foreign nationals intending to work in Türkiye are advised to verify the rules governing their chosen profession before filing a work permit application.

Healthcare and legal professions off-limits

The healthcare sector features prominently on the list. Foreign nationals cannot practise dentistry, pharmacist, or veterinary medicine in Türkiye, nor can they work as hospital care workers or serve as responsible managers of private hospitals.

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Supervisors and licence holders of independent healthcare units are also restricted positions under Turkish law.

The legal profession is similarly closed to foreigners. Türkiye bars foreign nationals from working as lawyers, notaries, judges, prosecutors, mediators in civil disputes, or concordat commissioners, effectively shutting them out of the country's entire formal justice system.

Full scope of Turkey's work restrictions

The full list of 29 restricted professions spans a broad range of industries. In the security sector, foreigners cannot found or manage private security companies, work as private security officers, or serve as neighbourhood and market guards.

In finance and administration, foreign nationals are barred from working as certified public accountants, sworn-in certified public accountants, assistant customs consultants, or as board members of cooperatives.

Education is also restricted: foreigners cannot establish schools operating in languages other than Turkish or teach in such institutions. In tourism, foreign nationals cannot serve as tourist guides or travel agency supervisors.

Transport and maritime restrictions are extensive. Foreigners are prohibited from working as transport organisers, honorary traffic inspectors, or trainee aviation information management officers. Within Türkiye's territorial waters, foreign nationals cannot engage in diving, exploration, piloting, captaining, navigation, or crewing vessels, nor can they export fish, oysters, mussels, sponges, pearls, or corals commercially.

Additional prohibited roles include sports counsellors, agricultural labour intermediaries, ship agency officials and employees, permanent mining supervisors and technical staff, and foreign medical assistants working outside approved specialist training programmes.

The publication of the list provides a formal reference point for foreign nationals and employers navigating Türkiye's work permit process, clarifying which roles remain entirely inaccessible regardless of qualifications or experience.

Türkiye sets minimum age for foreigners seeking citizenship

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Türkiye had outlined the conditions under which foreigners and children of Turkish parents can obtain the country's citizenship.

The Directorate General of Civil Registration and Nationality (NVI) published the full framework on its official website, detailing three broad pathways, including citizenship by descent.

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Source: YEN.com.gh