What happens to my work permit if my student ikamet is cancelled?
General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes decisions, confirm with the official institution in the next-step below, or consult a qualified Turkish lawyer.
Pending expert review. This fact is sourced but has not yet been reviewed by an independent legal expert. Treat as a starting point.
A student-based work permit is automatically cancelled when the underlying student ikamet is cancelled. The cascade is in Implementation Regulation 6735 Article 56(1)(m).
Watch-outs
- The triggers for student ikamet cancellation in permits-17 — leave of absence (kayıt dondurma), severing ties with the university, non-renewal of registration — cascade automatically to the work permit. One decision kills two statuses.
- Plan transitions before the triggers fire. Once the cascade starts, you have no work-permit-protected stay to fall back on.
- This is one of the most common ways students inadvertently lose the right to work — they file the leave of absence assuming the work permit holds independently, and find out the next day that it doesn't.
Next step
If you're considering a leave of absence or any university-status change, plan the work-permit transition first — switching to a non-student-tied permit, securing a different employer relationship, or planning the exit. Don't trigger the student-status change until your work-permit path is secured.
All sources (1)
- Resmî Gazete — Implementation Regulation 6735, Art. 56(1)(m) ↗
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