Government Health Insurance in Turkey, or Social Security

This is the most comprehensive social security or insurance in Turkey, whether for foreigners or Turkish citizens, and it includes nearly complete coverage for treatment, whether at private or government hospitals, as well as obtaining a retirement pension after reaching retirement age and completing the number of years of work required for retirement. In this article, we will cover its types and the differences between them in detail, according to the following table of contents:

-Green Card Insurance (Yeşil Kart)

-Social Security or Health Insurance (SSK-GSK)

-General/Comprehensive Health Insurance Called GSS

-Bağkur Social Security

1-Green Card Insurance (Yeşil Kart):

This falls under the Social Security Institution (SGK) and is provided to families in need whose income is less than one-third of the minimum pension set by the state, which varies from year to year. It covers the husband, the wife, and all children under the age of eighteen. It can be used at government hospitals and provides a discount on the price of medications. An applicant for the Green Card must not be registered under any other type of government insurance. University students residing in Turkey can apply for the Green Card (Yeşil Kart) three months after starting university. It covers the student for treatments and medications, and the student pays a small, symbolic portion — approximately 20% of the value.

2-Social Security or Health Insurance (SSK-GSK):

This is the insurance specifically for workers and employees, covering the health of the employee, their spouse, and their children under the age of eighteen. In addition, it includes a retirement pension after completing a specific number of working days as set by legislation and law — either five thousand working days with retirement at age 55, or seven thousand working days with retirement at age 60. Social security contributions can be paid entirely by the employer, or shared between employer and employee, depending on the agreement.

3-General/Comprehensive Health Insurance Called GSS:

This is intended for families with limited income and is calculated based on whether each family member's share is more than one-third of the minimum wage, which varies each year; you can confirm this through the government's e-Devlet portal, and if the code shown is G60, this means you are eligible for this type of insurance. A small symbolic monthly amount is paid to benefit from it, representing 3% of the minimum wage value — approximately equivalent to 165 Turkish lira monthly for the year 2022. Resident foreigners can also benefit from it, on the condition of reciprocity — meaning their home country grants Turkish citizens the right to benefit from a similar insurance.

4-Bağkur Social Security:

This is insurance under the Turkish Ministry of Labor, and it covers treatments and medications at government and private hospitals at a high rate. Also, if you complete a certain number of days, there will be a retirement pension once you reach the retirement age set by Turkish law. Its largest target group is business owners with small operations, craftsmen, and professionals. Once registered in the Bağkur program, you are not entitled to register in another program at the same time. Those registered in Bağkur can add their spouse and children under the age of eighteen.

For any information or inquiries, you can contact Hallak Turkey Services Company regarding everything related to the work residence permit or work permit in Turkey for foreigners.