The new phase of the Transition to Formal Employment Programme (KİGEP), a programme that reward employers who promote formal employment, kicks off today. The KIGEP “Plus”, with its official name, indicating its extension since its first start back in 2019- is implemented by the Social Security Institution with the close cooperation of International Labour Organisation (ILO) as well as the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services (MoFLSS) Directorate of International Labour Force (DFILF). The incentive scheme encourages the employers for formal employment of Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish citizens, and assist them for their application for work permits and covers social security contributions.

The employers employing formally their Syrian and Turkish employees may now easily apply for the Programme through an online platform of the Social Security Institution with their necessary documents. Once the necessary documents are all completed, they will then be reached out by the authorized assistants for an appointment to sign an agreement.

12 Project Offices of the SSI across 11 cities will be ready to answer for more details through an online and/or tele-platforms but not personal interaction without a specific invitation, a strict condition led by the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility criteria for employers

For an employer to be eligible to apply for the system, they shall employ their employees for a continuous period of at least 6 months and be found without any debt to the SSI system.

The Programme is implemented by the SSI with the close cooperation of the ILO Office for Turkey’s project named as the “Promoting Decent Work for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish Citizens Project”. The Project is financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW, and aimed to facilitate access for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish citizens to the formal labour market and supports them to develop, strengthen and upgrade their skills as competences as required. Additionally, the incentive scheme is backed by another project, named as “Decent Work Opportunities for Refugees and Host Communities in Turkey” that assist the resilience and social cohesion of refugees and host communities in Turkey.

For more info: https://uyg.sgk.gov.tr/KigepBasvuru/index.xhtml