Documents: Turkish to English Turkish → English
Turkish vocational certificates (ustalık, kalfalık, MYK, kurs belgesi) translation
Certified English translation of Turkish trade and vocational certificates: mastership and journeyman certificates (ustalık, kalfalık belgesi), MYK vocational qualification certificates and course completion certificates, for UK employers, UK ENIC, CSCS, colleges and insurers. £10 per certificate.
What the receiving body requires
“If you need to certify a translation of a document that's not written in English or Welsh, ask the translation company to confirm in writing on the translation: that it's a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’; the date of the translation; the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company.”
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026The Turkish vocational certificates we translate
Turkish trades are documented by several distinct certificates, and a UK reader needs to know which is which.
- Ustalık belgesi (mastership certificate) and kalfalık belgesi (journeyman certificate), issued under the Vocational Education Law by the Ministry of National Education through vocational training centres (mesleki eğitim merkezi). The mastership certificate is what allows a barber, hairdresser, cook, tailor, electrician or motor mechanic to open a workshop in Türkiye, and the workplace-opening certificate (işyeri açma belgesi) is issued on the strength of it.
- MYK Mesleki Yeterlilik Belgesi, the vocational qualification certificate of the Vocational Qualifications Authority (Mesleki Yeterlilik Kurumu). It is issued by an authorised certification body after assessment against a national occupational standard, states the occupation and its level in the Turkish Qualifications Framework, and can be verified on the MYK portal by its number. Many occupations in construction and industry require it by law.
- Kurs bitirme belgesi, the course completion certificate from a public education centre (halk eğitimi merkezi) or a private course under the Ministry's lifelong learning directorate, retrievable through e-Devlet for recent courses.
- Occupation-specific documents such as the hygiene training certificate (hijyen eğitimi belgesi) for food and beauty work and the professional driver's certificate (SRC belgesi).
We translate the issuing body, the occupation exactly as named in the standard, the level, the hours of training where stated, the signatures and seals and the verification details.
When a UK body asks for it
- Employers. Barbers, hairdressers, chefs, bakers, tailors, welders and tilers are the customers who most often need these translated, for a job application or to reassure a salon or restaurant owner. Read our guide for barbers, chefs and trades.
- Skilled Worker sponsors, particularly in hospitality, who want evidence of skill before assigning a certificate of sponsorship.
- UK ENIC, which assesses vocational qualifications, and through it the CSCS card scheme for construction workers, whose route for overseas qualifications runs through an ENIC statement.
- Colleges, when prior learning is recognised towards an NVQ or an apprenticeship.
- Insurers and councils, where public-liability cover for a salon or a licence for special treatments asks for evidence of training. See translations for employers and HR.
What the translation must contain
Employers seldom publish a certification rule, and ENIC, CSCS and insurers apply the gov.uk standard quoted below. Our certificate confirms accuracy, gives the date and identifies the company with its Ankara Trade Registry number, address, contact details and a signature; the Turkish certificate is attached. The occupation title is translated from the national standard, so that erkek berberi becomes men's barber and not simply barber, and the level is stated as the Turkish Qualifications Framework level without converting it to an RQF level, which is ENIC's task. Training hours on a course certificate are kept as stated.
Apostille and verification
No UK employer, ENIC or CSCS has required an apostille on these certificates in our experience. MYK certificates are checked by number on the authority's portal, and we translate the verification line for that reason. A ministry-issued mastership certificate can be apostilled at the kaymakamlık if a foreign authority asks, after the district education directorate confirms the signature.
Price and turnaround
Each certificate is a single page of well under 1,000 characters, so the certified translation is £10.00 per certificate with certification included and no UK VAT; a set of three to five certificates, which is typical for a tradesperson, is £30.00 to £50.00 and is certified as one order. Delivery is within 1 working day as a certified PDF, or the same day with the fast option when scans arrive before 11:00 UK time. A signed hard copy by courier from Ankara is £30. We have no UK office and do not offer collection.
What you receive
- Translation of each certificate with the occupation named from the national standard, the level stated and training hours kept as issued
- Translation of MYK or e-Devlet verification details
- Certification page in the gov.uk wording, dated and signed, with company credentials
- Copies of the certificates attached; certified PDF by e-mail, courier hard copy optional
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an ustalık belgesi and an MYK certificate?
The ustalık belgesi is an education ministry qualification gained through apprenticeship and training. The MYK certificate is an assessment-based qualification against a national occupational standard. Many tradespeople hold both; we translate each with a one-line description so the employer understands what it is.
I need a CSCS card. Which document do I send?
The CSCS route for overseas qualifications goes through a UK ENIC statement, which needs a certified translation of your certificate. Send the MYK certificate or the ustalık belgesi, and the course certificate if you have one, and we translate them as a set.
What does Level 4 on my MYK certificate mean in the UK?
The translation states the level as given in the Turkish Qualifications Framework and does not convert it. ENIC compares it with UK levels if an employer or scheme asks for that.
My kalfalık belgesi from the 1990s is handwritten.
We translate handwritten certificates and mark any word that cannot be read. Send the clearest scan you can, including the back if it carries stamps.
Does an employer need a certified translation, or is a plain one enough?
Most employers do not specify. Certification costs nothing extra with us, and it means the same document can later go to ENIC, an insurer or a council without being redone.