Türkiye’s unemployment rate remained stable at 8.2% in May 2026, reflecting continued resilience in the country’s labor market despite ongoing economic challenges. The latest figures were released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).
According to the official data, the number of unemployed individuals aged 15 and above reached 2.88 million, marking a modest increase of 9,000 people compared with the previous month.
The unemployment rate continued to differ significantly by gender, standing at 7.0% for men and 10.5% for women.
Meanwhile, employment showed positive momentum. The number of employed people increased by 285,000 in May, bringing total employment to 32.46 million. As a result, the employment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points to 48.5%.
Labor force participation also improved during the month, increasing by 0.4 percentage points to 52.8%, indicating that more people entered or remained active in the workforce.
Among younger workers, however, conditions were less favorable. The unemployment rate for the 15–24 age group climbed by 0.4 percentage points to 14.8%.
TÜİK also reported that the labor underutilization rate—which combines unemployment, time-related underemployment, and the potential labor force—increased by 0.9 percentage points, reaching 31.0% in May.
The latest labor market data suggest that while employment opportunities continue to expand, challenges remain, particularly for young job seekers and individuals who are underemployed.
Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) via Hürriyet Daily News.
Original article: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkiyes-unemployment-rate-steady-at-8-2-percent-in-may-223839
