Those with a family who are thinking of moving abroad and investing in a property in Turkey in particular will be pleased to hear the Turkish government’s announcement earlier this week that the country’s unemployment rate remains well below that of the typical European Union member state.
The current unemployment average in Europe sits at 12.1 per cent, Oceanwide Properties has learned. The figure, which takes into account statistics up to October 2013 is more than 1 per cent higher than that of Turkey which sits at 10.9 per cent.
The majority of European countries (28 of whom are currently in the European Union) are still trying to recover from the world recession of 2007 and austerity measures have hindered employment opportunities.
Statistics from the European Statistical Office (Eurostat) and the Turkey Statistical Institute (TUIK) show that the country with the most citizens unemployed is Greece at 27.4 per cent. Spain is next with 26.7 per cent then Croatia at 18.4 per cent. Austria enjoys the lowest rate of unemployment at 4.8 per cent while Germany is next at 5.2 per cent.
Job Gains for Turkish citizens in Particular Sectors
The October figure for Turkey saw a reduction in the numbers of individuals unemployed for the first time in four months. Jobs were found is sectors such as construction and services/industry but were lost in agriculture (down 1.3 per cent).
Youth Unemployment in Turkey
When it came to youth unemployment in particular the rate was 19.3 per cent compared to the European Union average of 23.5 per cent.
Ex-pats Finding Work in Turkey
As a foreign national you’re more likely to get a job in Turkey if you are skilled or have a profession. This is because jobs such as waitressing, bar work or retail tend to go to Turkish citizens themselves because of the government’s policy not to give work to a foreign national that can be carried out by a Turkish citizen.
The best ways to find work in Turkey as a foreign national is either by word of mouth or networking, Online job boards can also work pretty well.
If you do receive the offer of work in Turkey you’ll need a work visa from a Turkish embassy here in the UK then, once ensconced in Turkey, it will be time to get a residence permit (which will also double as your work permit).
It’s worth remembering that if you don’t like the job in Turkey for which you’ve been given a work permit then you can’t simply leave and find another. That’s because the work permit is valid for that particular job only and can’t be transferred to another post (unless, that is you have been employed by a Turkish company and living/working there for eight years – in which case you won’t be restricted to the same extent).
Help from Oceanwide Properties
Not only can we advise you on legal documentation regarding work permits at Oceanwide Properties, but we can also help find a Turkey property for you once you get here. For more information contact us either in our Turkey or London office via our website.
