In brief
In hazardous and very hazardous work, a copy of the vocational training certificate is kept in the personnel file, and the labour inspector checks this document. For MEB course certificates, journeyman and master craftsman certificates, construction machinery operator certificates and MYK certificates, there are verification services that work with the barcode number on e-Devlet. Verify the certificate before hiring, match it to the work to be done and add the verification record to the file.
Why is verifying vocational training certificates the employer's job?
When hiring a welder, forklift operator or boiler room worker, the candidate hands over a certificate and most businesses take a photocopy and put it in the personnel file. Yet a piece of paper that goes into the file without vocational training certificate verification is assessed in an inspection not according to you, but according to the records of the institution that issued it. A certificate that does not appear in the records means no certificate.
Art. 17 of Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety states that, in hazardous and very hazardous work for which vocational training is compulsory, people who cannot document that they have received vocational training relevant to the work they will do may not be employed. The vocational training regulation also requires a copy of this certificate to be kept in the worker's personnel file and shown on request; labour inspectors check that the certificate exists (Art. 7). We explained which jobs are within scope and which certificates are accepted in our article on the vocational training certificate requirement; this article focuses on how to check whether the certificate in your hands is genuine and valid.
Which certificate, which verification screen?
On the e-Devlet Gateway (the government's online services portal), there are two separate services for most certificates. The query service is for the certificate holder to see their certificates from their own account. The verification service is for a third party holding a copy of the certificate to check, using the barcode number on it, whether the certificate is registered in the system. As the employer, you will use the second one.
| Certificate | Issued by | Verification service on e-Devlet | Also check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public education centre course certificate | MEB (Ministry of National Education) lifelong learning institutions | Non-formal education certificate verification | Course name, duration, field |
| Private course completion certificate | Private education institutions under MEB | Verification of course completion certificates from private education institutions | Course programme and field |
| Journeyman, master craftsman, master instructor | MEB (Law No. 3308) | Journeyman, master craftsman, master instructor and workplace opening certificate verification | Occupational field and branch |
| Construction machinery operator certificate | MEB | Construction machinery operator certificate verification | Type of machine |
| MTAOO course achievement or authorisation certificate | Vocational and Technical Open Education School | Vocational and Technical Open Education School course achievement or authorisation certificate verification | Field and branch |
| Vocational high school diploma | MEB | High school graduation certificate verification | Field on the diploma |
| MYK Vocational Qualification Certificate | Bodies authorised by MYK (the Vocational Qualifications Authority) | MYK vocational qualification certificate verification | Qualification name, level, validity |
| ISKUR courses, other public institution certificates | The relevant institution | General document verification if the certificate has an e-Devlet barcode; otherwise written confirmation from the institution | Programme content |
Service names may change over time; you can reach the current screen by typing the type of certificate and the word for "verification" into the e-Devlet search box.
Verifying an MEB course certificate: two routes on e-Devlet
Verifying an MEB course certificate on e-Devlet can be done by two routes, and the safest result comes when you use both together.
1. The candidate shows it from their own account. The candidate logs in to e-Devlet with their own password and opens the non-formal education certificate query service or, if they obtained it from a private course, the query service for course completion certificates from private education institutions. Their certificates are listed on the screen; the candidate prints a barcoded copy of the relevant certificate and gives it to you. Do not take the candidate's password or use the screen on their behalf.
2. You verify by barcode. You enter the barcode number on the barcoded printout into the relevant verification service. The verification screen works with the barcode number on the certificate; the system may ask for additional information about the certificate in the next step. Compare the certificate displayed on screen line by line with the printout in your hands:
- Are the name, surname and identity details the same as the candidate's?
- Is the name of the course or certificate consistent with the work to be done?
- Are the course duration and dates the same as on the printout?
- Do the issuing institution and approval date match?
A photocopy without a barcode or a mobile phone photo is not suitable for verification. Ask the candidate for the e-Devlet printout. Certificates for courses run in cooperation with public education centres are issued through the e-Yaygin system and can be viewed on e-Devlet; for the process, see our article on vocational training courses at public education centres.
Verifying master craftsman certificates and vocational high school diplomas
Journeyman, master craftsman and master instructor certificates issued under Vocational Training Law No. 3308 are among the main certificates accepted in the vocational training regulation. For master craftsman certificate verification, use the journeyman, master craftsman, master instructor and workplace opening certificate verification service. The point to watch with these certificates is the occupational field and branch: a master craftsman certificate stating "Metal Technology field, Welding branch" covers welding work; another branch of the same field may not.
For vocational high school graduates, the diploma is checked with the high school graduation certificate verification service. The diploma states the field and branch; graduation in a field unrelated to the role does not meet the vocational training requirement. For forklift and construction machinery operators, also check which type of machine the certificate covers; for details, read our article on the forklift operator certificate.
MYK certificates and certificate verification
The MYK Vocational Qualification Certificate is required in occupations for which a certificate requirement has been introduced by MYK communiqués, and is also among the valid certificates in the vocational training regulation. For certificate verification, the service the employer will use is MYK vocational qualification certificate verification; the certificate holder sees their own certificates in the MYK vocational qualification certificate query service. Among MYK's e-Devlet services there is also a separate query showing the status of a certificate.
Check three pieces of information together on an MYK certificate:
- Qualification name: "Hot Water Boiler Operator" and "Steam Boiler Operator" are different qualifications.
- Level: The level on the certificate must be consistent with the level the role requires.
- Validity: The validity period of the certificate and the surveillance conditions are set in the relevant national qualification. Write the date on the certificate into your role-certificate matrix.
We listed the occupations in which an MYK certificate is mandatory in our article on occupations requiring an MYK certificate.
Fake certificate checks: signs to watch for
A fake certificate check is done not only for certificates you are suspicious of but for every certificate, because a fake certificate often looks flawless at first glance. If any of the following signs are present, do not employ the candidate in an Annex 1 job before completing verification:
- There is only a photocopy or photo of the certificate; no barcoded e-Devlet printout is provided.
- The barcode number gives no result on the verification screen or brings up a certificate belonging to someone else.
- The course duration is unusually short compared with similar courses in the same field.
- The name, location or approval date of the issuing institution differs between the printout and the verification screen.
- The candidate appears to have attended the course on dates when they were working full time at another workplace.
If verification gives no result, first rule out technical reasons: if the certificate was issued recently, it may take time to appear in the system. Then request written confirmation from the issuing institution. If the certificate cannot be verified, the candidate is not employed in work requiring the certificate; consult your legal adviser for a legal assessment. Do not use accusatory language towards the candidate during this process; it could be a recording error.
How is a verified certificate placed in the personnel file?
Verification is only useful in an inspection if a record of it is kept. Put not only a copy of the certificate but the check itself into the personnel file:
- The barcoded e-Devlet printout goes into the file as the copy of the certificate.
- A printout of the verification screen or a check record is added: date of check, name of the service used, and the name and signature of the person who carried out the check.
- The role-certificate match is written down: "Role: steam boiler operator. Certificate: MYK Steam Boiler Operator Level 4. Suitable."
- Certificates with a validity date are entered in the calendar; renewal is planned as the date approaches.
- On a change of role, the match is redone. A worker moving from welding to the paint booth may need a new certificate.
The 2026 base administrative fine for employing someone without a certificate, as a breach of the training obligation, is 8,980 TL per employee and is multiplied by the number of employees. The real risk, however, is a work accident involving an uncertified worker; in that case the employer's hiring checks are examined in detail. For current amounts, see the OHS administrative fines tool.
At businesses in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, Bursa Sistemer OSGB plans MEB-approved 40-hour modules for workers missing certificates through solution partners working under public education centre protocols; the modules are chosen together according to the business's line of production. Details are on our vocational training page. You can check which roles require a certificate with our article on the list of occupations requiring vocational training.
Frequently Asked Questions
If an MEB course certificate does not appear on e-Devlet, is it invalid?
It is not immediately invalid. It may take time for newly issued certificates to appear in the system, and some older certificates may not have been entered electronically. In this case, request written confirmation from the issuing institution; until confirmation arrives, do not employ the worker in work requiring the certificate.
Can we ask the candidate for their e-Devlet password to look at their certificates?
Do not ask. The candidate opens their certificate from their own account and gives you the barcoded printout; you then use the verification service with the barcode number. This method is both secure and more appropriate in terms of personal data protection.
Does a master craftsman certificate replace a vocational training certificate in every job?
No. A master craftsman certificate is valid only for work related to the occupational field and branch on the certificate. Match the field on the certificate with the work the employee will do every time.
When should we verify certificates?
Before hiring. Vocational training must be completed before the person is hired. Complete verification before the start date and repeat it when the role changes.
Position-by-position certificate checks for hazardous and very hazardous work, and MEB-approved 40-hour vocational training modules provided through our solution partners.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.