The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has released labor force data for May 2025, showing a slight decrease in the unemployment rate. The number of unemployed individuals aged 15 and over fell by 69,000 from the previous month, totaling 2.97 million.
The unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 8.4%. Among men, the unemployment rate was estimated at 6.5%, while it stood at 11.9% for women.
Broadly defined unemployment, which includes time-related underemployment, potential labor force, and the unemployed, fell by 1.1 percentage points to 31%. The combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment stood at 20.7%, while the rate combining unemployment and potential labor force was estimated at 20.2%.
The number of employed individuals rose by 100,000 in May compared to April, reaching 32.52 million. The employment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 49%. Employment among men was reported at 66.3%, while the rate for women was 32.2%.
The labor force increased by 31,000 over the month to 35.49 million, while the labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 53.5%. Participation was 70.9% among men and 36.5% among women.
Youth unemployment, covering individuals aged 15–24, declined by 0.3 percentage points from the previous month to 15.4%. In this age group, the unemployment rate was 11.0% for men and 23.5% for women.
The average actual weekly working hours for those employed during the reference period, adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, increased by 0.6 hours to 42.7 hours in May. (VK)
