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Türkiye’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched up to 8.6% in November, marking a 0.1 percentage point rise from the previous month, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Tuesday.
The number of unemployed individuals aged 15 and over rose by 54,000 in November to 3.1 million, with the jobless rate at 7% for men and 11.8% for women.
Youth unemployment, covering those aged 15 to 24, remained steady at 15.4% in November, with rates of 10.6% for men and 24.4% for women.
The labor underutilization rate, also referred to as the broader unemployment rate, which includes time-related underemployment, the potential labor force, and unemployed persons, declined by 0.6 percentage points month-on-month to 29.1%.
The integrated rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was recorded at 18.7%, while the combined rate of unemployment and potential labor force stood at 20.2%.
Employment increased by 75,000 people in November, bringing the total number of employed individuals to 32.74 million.
The overall employment rate reached 49.2%, with male and female employment rates at 66.8% and 31.9%, respectively.
The labor force also expanded by 128,000, reaching 35.83 million, which brought the labor force participation rate to 53.8%.
Among those employed during the reference period, the average actual weekly working time, adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, increased by 0.1 hours from the previous month to reach 42.3 hours.
Commenting on the figures, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz emphasized the government’s priorities around boosting labor force participation, especially among women, youth, and skilled workers.
"We have prioritized active labor market programs, vocational education, entrepreneurship support, and skill development in strategic sectors," he said, adding that labor-intensive sectors will continue to receive focused support.
He also stressed a dual approach that aims to both increase employment and reduce broader labor underutilization through structural reforms in the labor market.
Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Isikhan added, "We are working to strengthen our employment capacity and labor force with every step we take. Through innovative practices and human-centered labor policies, we will build a strong future for our country."
According to local brokerage Oyak Yatirim, the modest pace of employment growth over the past year, despite generally resilient economic activity, may be attributed to increased productivity and companies’ efforts to reduce costs.
Analysts said the continued high rate of labor underutilization includes not only unemployed individuals but also people working fewer hours than they would like and those marginally attached to the labor force.
They suggested this may partly reflect an increase in women entering the workforce for economic reasons, such as rising household costs.
Some retirees may also be rejoining the labor market to supplement their income. This adds to the pool of available labor that is not fully absorbed into full-time or stable employment.
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