Unemployment rate rises to 8.6 percent in second quarter

ANKARA

Türkiye’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 8.6 percent in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 0.3-point increase from the previous quarter, the Household Labor Force Survey published by TÜİK has shown.

The number of unemployed persons aged 15 and over increased by 106,000, reaching 3.03 million. The unemployment rate was 7 percent for men and 11.6 percent for women.

The seasonally adjusted employment rate fell to 48.9 percent, with the number of employed persons decreasing by 41,000 to 32.44 million. Employment among men was 66.1 percent, while for women it stood at 32.1 percent.

Labor force participation remained unchanged at 53.5 percent, with the total labor force increasing by 65,000 to 35.47 million. Participation was 71.1 percent for men and 36.3 percent for women.

Youth unemployment (aged 15–24) rose to 15.9 percent in the second quarter, up 0.7 points from the previous quarter. The rate was 11.7 percent for young men and 23.7 percent for young women.

Sectoral employment data showed a shift in distribution. Employment in agriculture fell by 95,000 and in industry by 156,000, while construction gained 36,000 and services added 174,000 jobs.

As a result, 14 percent of workers were employed in agriculture, 20.3 percent in industry, 6.8 percent in construction and 58.9 percent in services.