Language:

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Cost of Living:

Minimum wage in Turkey is about $300, and any officially employed worker expects to get that.  However, you can rent an apartment for about $400 - 700 in Turkey, a good restaurant may start at $10, or a good sandwich of Ghiros or mussels is $2.00.

Visa and Work Permits:

In order to legally work in Turkey, there are a lot of steps! You must have a work permit, work visa, and a residence permit. Work visas may only be issued after a work permit has been approved. Work residence permits are only issued after you have the work permit and work visa.

            Individuals are NOT permitted to apply for work permits. Work permit applications MUST be submitted on behalf of the applicant by a corporate entity legally registered in Turkey. For more information visit:
 http://www.e-konsolosluk.net/InfoNotes/IN_Item.aspx?ID=30

Job Searching:

There are strict limitations on job categories open to foreign nationals in Turkey. Only Turkish citizens are permitted to work in the following professions: Medical doctor, dentist, midwife, nurse, pharmacist, optician, veterinarian, CPA, attorney-at-law, peddler, musician, photographer, and MANY more. One link includes:
http://www.jobsabroad.com/Turkey.cfm. 
 Nannying, teaching English and working in tourism are your best choices for working in Turkey.

Cultural differences in the workplace:

Modern day Turkey is a secular state; however the philosophy and ideology of Islam still remains a prevalent feature of Turkish culture. It infiltrates all levels of society, providing guidance, values, and rules for personal life, public behavior and ways of doing business

            As such, try to greet your Turkish counterparts with an appropriate Islamic greeting. For example, ‘Asalamu alaykum' (peace be upon you). You would not be expected to use it but if you did you would receive the reply ‘Wa alaykum salam' (and peace be with you).

            The Turkish business environment exhibits much respect for rank, education and authority. Generally speaking, senior members of a Turkish company are often only met once trust has been established by those below them.

            A result of the value placed on the family unit in Turkey, it is not uncommon for the most senior business person to be viewed as a father or mother figure who should consider the well-being of their employees’ family and social duties.

            For more information refer to:
http://www.communicaid.com/turkey-business-culture.asp

Money and Banking and Taxes:

Turkey has a liberal, sophisticated banking system and many international banks are well represented in the major metropolitan areas.  You can open a bank account in Turkey with a tax number which you can obtain with your passport and a local address.  There also will be a nominal fee.  The Central Bank of Turkey and Akbank are two major banks in Turkey.

            A foreigner is considered a tax resident if he/she resides in Turkey for more than six months per calendar year or if he/she maintains a legal residence in the country. There are no special tax provisions for expatriates. Pensions and social security payments from abroad may be considered taxable income.

Safety and Security:

It is advised to reconsider your need to travel to provinces in the southeast of Turkey, including those in the border region between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, due to the unpredictable security situation. Since late March 2006 there have been a number of violent demonstrations in some south-eastern Turkish cities, resulting in a number of deaths and many injuries. If you do decide to travel to these areas, you should exercise extreme caution.  For complete safety and security visit:
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1046.html