Türkiye’s unemployment rate drops to 8.2% in 2025 Q1, lowest since 2012

Türkiye’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 8.2% in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 0.4 percentage point decrease compared to the previous quarter, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Friday. This marks the lowest rate recorded since the third quarter of 2012.

Based on the data, the number of unemployed individuals aged 15 and over across the country declined by 183,000 compared to the October–December period, bringing the total down to 2.88 million.

Compared to the same period last year, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points. When broken down by gender, the rate stood at 6.6% for men and 11.2% for women.

The line charts display quarterly changes in unemployment and employment rates by gender, with unemployment falling to 8.2% and employment slightly declining to 48.9% in Q1 2025, accessed on May 16, 2025. (Chart via TurkStat)

TurkStat defines unemployment as the proportion of the labor force that is not employed but actively seeking employment and available to start work within two weeks of the reference period.

Türkiye's employment and labor force participation decline

Among the young population aged 15–24, the unemployment rate fell by 0.9 percentage points quarter-over-quarter, reaching 15% in the January–March period. However, the gender gap remains significant, as the rate for young men was recorded at 10.8%, while for young women it stood at 22.7%.

Despite the improvement in the headline unemployment figure, Türkiye’s seasonally adjusted number of employed persons decreased by 266,000 from the previous quarter, bringing the total to 32.39 million. The employment rate also slipped by 0.5 percentage points, settling at 48.9%. Employment among men was recorded at 66.3%, compared to 31.9% for women.

The table and pie chart illustrate job distribution by sector, showing that 58.2% of employed individuals work in services, followed by 20.8% in industry, 14.3% in agriculture, and 6.6% in construction, accessed on May 16, 2025. (Chart via TurkStat)

Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted labor force shrank by 449,000, falling to 35.27 million. As a result, the labor force participation rate dropped by 0.8 percentage points to 53.3%. The rate stood at 71% for men and 36% for women.

Sectoral breakdown highlights job losses in key fields

A closer look at employment by sector reveals that most of the job losses were concentrated in agriculture, industry, and services. Compared to the previous quarter, employment in the agricultural sector dropped by 171,000, in the industrial sector by 61,000, and in services by 37,000. The only sector to post a gain was construction, which added 3,000 jobs.

As of the first quarter, 14.3% of total employment was in agriculture, 20.8% in industry, 6.6% in construction, and 58.2% in services.

May 16, 2025 11:23 AM GMT+03:00