The EOR Path to Diversity: Hiring Turkish Women, Refugees, and Minorities with Confidence
Diversity and inclusion are no longer just buzzwords—they’re critical drivers of innovation, performance, and resilience in the global workplace. As companies seek to build equitable teams across borders, one challenge persists: how to navigate legal, cultural, and administrative hurdles when hiring underrepresented groups in foreign countries.
In Turkey, where the labor market is rapidly evolving, this challenge is even more pressing. From the push to empower Turkish women in the workforce, to the integration of Syrian refugees, to better representation for ethnic and religious minorities, foreign companies have both an opportunity and a responsibility to be part of this transformation.
The solution? A trusted Employer of Record in Turkey.
An EOR doesn’t just help companies enter the Turkish market—it provides a safe, compliant, and inclusive hiring framework that supports diversity at scale.
This article explores how EOR services in Turkey can help you confidently hire women, refugees, and minorities—while supporting your ESG goals and building a stronger, more diverse team.
Why Diversity Hiring Matters in Turkey in 2025
Turkey has made significant strides in recent years to address labor participation gaps. Yet, challenges remain:
- Only 36% of Turkish women are active in the labor force (compared to 76% of men).
- Over 3.5 million Syrian refugees reside in Turkey—many of them work-capable but legally excluded from full employment access.
- Ethnic and religious minorities often face informal discrimination or lack access to corporate hiring channels.
At the same time, Turkey’s younger, tech-savvy, and urban population is pushing for inclusion. For global companies looking to hire in Turkey, this creates a critical opportunity to lead by example and tap into overlooked talent pools.
What Is an Employer of Record (EOR) in Turkey?
An Employer of Record in Turkey acts as the legal employer on behalf of a foreign company. The EOR handles all employment-related legal obligations, including:
- Drafting compliant labor contracts
- Registering employees with SGK (Social Security Institution)
- Managing payroll, taxes, and benefits
- Ensuring compliance with Turkish labor law
This model allows foreign firms to hire Turkish professionals from any background—without setting up a legal entity or navigating complex bureaucracy.
How EOR Services Enable Inclusive Hiring in Turkey
Let’s explore how modern EOR providers are helping businesses champion diversity in the Turkish labor market:
1. Empowering Turkish Women with Formal Employment
Despite improvements, many women in Turkey still face barriers to entering and remaining in the workforce, including:
- Cultural norms around caregiving
- Unequal access to child care
- Gender bias in hiring and promotion
- Informal or freelance work without protections
A reputable EOR ensures women are hired through fully legal, formal contracts that include:
- SGK registration (social security, maternity leave, retirement benefits)
- Paid vacation and parental leave
- Access to private health insurance
- Equal salary and career development opportunities
Moreover, an EOR helps foreign companies avoid unconscious bias by offering gender-neutral job descriptions, equitable compensation benchmarks, and data-driven recruitment support.
2. Supporting the Legal Hiring of Refugees in Turkey
Turkey hosts the world’s largest refugee population—over 3.5 million, mostly from Syria. While many refugees are skilled and motivated to work, few are legally employed due to:
- Limited awareness of work permit requirements
- Reluctance of employers to navigate refugee-specific red tape
- Risk of informal labor and exploitation
A qualified EOR can help businesses legally hire refugees in Turkey by:
- Assisting with work permit applications and renewals
- Drafting special contracts in line with refugee employment regulations
- Educating employers on refugee rights under Turkish labor law
- Ensuring fair pay, benefits, and working conditions
This approach not only protects the employer from legal risk but also supports Turkey’s integration goals and refugee livelihoods.
3. Reaching Ethnic and Religious Minorities with Fair Opportunity
Turkey is home to many minority communities—Kurds, Armenians, Jews, Greeks, Circassians, and others—who have historically faced structural exclusion from public and corporate employment pathways.
While Turkish labor law guarantees equal rights, enforcement and cultural awareness can be inconsistent.
An EOR acts as a neutral, professional intermediary, helping companies:
- Implement inclusive hiring policies
- Avoid language or cultural bias in recruitment
- Offer equal-access onboarding and benefits
- Ensure fair grievance and disciplinary procedures
By partnering with an EOR that values diversity, companies show that representation and inclusion are more than just checkboxes—they’re operational priorities.
4. Creating Safe and Flexible Work Models
For underrepresented groups, flexibility often makes the difference between being employed and being excluded. EORs facilitate:
- Remote work options for caregivers or those in conservative communities
- Part-time or reduced hours for working mothers
- Geographic flexibility, enabling companies to hire from across Turkey—not just Istanbul or Ankara
- Confidential HR support, giving workers a safe space to address issues
These measures make employment more accessible and sustainable for people who’ve historically been left out.
Real-World Example: Hiring a Syrian Refugee Developer via EOR
A UK-based tech company identified a talented Syrian backend developer living in Gaziantep. The developer had refugee status but lacked the ability to work legally as a full-time contractor.
Instead of navigating refugee-specific bureaucracy themselves, the company partnered with a Turkish Employer of Record that:
- Secured the necessary work permit
- Provided a full-time, SGK-registered contract
- Delivered salary and health benefits in Turkish lira
- Ensured legal compliance with refugee employment law
The result? A successful, sustainable hire—and a company that proudly supports displaced professionals.
What to Look for in an EOR That Supports Inclusive Hiring
If diversity is part of your global hiring strategy, look for a Turkish EOR that:
- Has experience hiring women, refugees, and minorities
- Understands the work permit process for refugees
- Provides local language support (Turkish and Arabic, if needed)
- Offers custom benefits and flexible contracts
- Maintains ethical standards and labor compliance across the board
An inclusive EOR partner is not only a legal ally—it’s a reputation builder.
The ESG and Employer Branding Advantage
Hiring inclusively through an EOR isn’t just a good deed—it’s a smart business move. By doing so, you:
- Align with ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) goals
- Improve brand perception among Turkish candidates
- Gain access to new talent pools
- Comply with both local and international human rights standards
- Set yourself apart as an employer that genuinely cares
In a world where values matter more than ever, inclusive hiring is a competitive edge.
Diversity Through EOR Is Possible—and Powerful
Turkey offers enormous talent potential—but to fully tap into it, companies must go beyond the surface. Women, refugees, and minorities represent untapped brilliance, dedication, and resilience. What they need is a path—and EORs can provide that path.
By partnering with an Employer of Record in Turkey committed to ethical hiring, you gain more than compliance. You gain access to a workforce that reflects the future: diverse, global, and unstoppable.
Ready to build a truly inclusive team in Turkey—without the legal complexity?
Let us help you hire women, refugees, and minority talent with confidence. Our EOR solutions in Turkey are compliant, ethical, and human-focused.