Unemployment rate falls to 8.1% while underemployment rises in March
Turkey's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 8.1% in March compared to the previous month, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data.
The number of unemployed people aged 15 and over fell by 96,000 to 2.87 million in March. While the headline unemployment rate dropped, the labor underutilization rate, often referred to as broad unemployment, showed a significant increase.
The labor underutilization rate, which includes time-related underemployment, the potential labor force, and the unemployed, rose by 1.6 percentage points to 31.5% in March. The integrated rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was estimated at 21.0%, while the integrated rate of unemployment and the potential labor force reached 20.4%.
Unemployment was estimated at 6.8% for men and 10.7% for women.
University graduates face unemployment, low wages, and work outside their field
Employment increases
The number of employed persons increased by 226,000 to 32.43 million in March. The seasonally adjusted employment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points to 48.5%. This rate was 66% for men and 31.5% for women.
The total labor force grew by 129,000 people to 35.3 million during the same period. The labor force participation rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 52.8%, recorded as 70.8% for men and 35.3% for women.
Youth unemployment
The unemployment rate for the youth population, covering the 15-24 age group, decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 15.3% in March.
Youth unemployment was estimated at 12.8% for men and 20.4% for women.
The seasonally and calendar adjusted average weekly actual working hours for those employed and at work fell by 0.8 hours to 41.7 hours in March compared to the previous month.
Turkey’s NEET rate more than twice OECD average, report reveals
(HA/VK)
