Number of paid employees hits 8-month high in May: Official data

ANKARA

Türkiye recorded the highest number of paid employees in eight months this May, according to the latest data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

The total number of wage earners across the industry, construction and trade-services sectors reached 15,883,683 — marking a 1.2 percent increase compared to the same month last year.

In May 2024, the number of paid employees stood at 15,698,674. The current figure is the highest recorded since September 2024, when the number peaked at 15,992,000.

TÜİK’s monthly bulletin, published on July 15, showed diverging trends across sub-sectors. On an annual basis, the industrial sector saw a decline of 3.1 percent in the number of paid employees, while the construction sector recorded a 4.6 percent increase. The trade and services sector followed with a 2.9 percent rise year-on-year.

On a monthly basis, however, the total number of paid employees remained unchanged from April 2025. Employment in the industrial sector dropped by 0.6 percent, while the construction and trade-services sectors recorded slight increases of 0.1 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

  Service and construction indices rise

TÜİK also released the May data for the service and construction indices. The service production index rose by 3.9 percent annually, while the construction production index surged 20.3 percent compared to the previous year.

Looking at services, annual growth was recorded across all sub-sectors. Transportation and storage services rose by 0.2 percent, accommodation and food services by 6.3 percent, information and communication services by 8.1 percent, real estate activities by 8 percent, professional, scientific and technical services by 3.8 percent and administrative and support services by 7.9 percent.    

Monthly, the service index increased by 1.2 percent. Sub-sector gains included 0.8 percent in transportation and storage, 0.1 percent in accommodation and food, 3.3 percent in information and communication and 2.9 percent in professional and technical services.

Meanwhile, the construction production index rose 4.8 percent on a monthly basis. Compared to April, building construction increased 5.6 percent, non-building structures by 2.7 percent and specialized construction activities by 3.4 percent.