Who pays payroll taxes and social security in Turkey: the employer only, or does the employee also contribute?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 11 days ago
TL;DR
In Turkey, both sides contribute: employees usually pay income tax, stamp tax, 14% SGK social security, and 1% unemployment insurance, while the employer pays additional payroll contributions on top. In Istanbul, the rules are the same nationwide, so always confirm whether the salary offer is gross or net.
What the community said
When discussing a job offer in Istanbul, it is practical to ask for the take-home amount upfront — many employers and employees talk in terms of net maaş because tax and employee contributions are deducted from the gross salary.
11 days ago net maaş / gross maaş
Employees in Turkey do not pay only income tax: payroll usually includes 14% SGK social security, 1% unemployment insurance, stamp tax, and progressive income tax.
11 days ago SGK 14% + 1%
The employer also pays a separate share: on top of the stated salary, companies usually add employer SGK contributions and unemployment insurance, so the real cost of an employee is higher than the gross salary.
11 days ago employer SGK contributions
Turkey uses progressive income tax, so your take-home pay can change during the year even if your nominal salary stays the same. This is a common reason why employees feel their salary has dropped.
11 days ago progressive tax 15–40%
For expats in Istanbul, the practical move is to ask for a line-by-line breakdown in the offer — gross, net, SGK, tax, and bonuses. Without that, it is hard to know your real take-home pay after deductions.
11 days ago gross / net / SGK