Türkiye's labor market showed continued improvement in May 2026, with employment and labor force participation both increasing compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Tuesday.

TurkStat reported that the number of employed persons rose by 285,000 in May, reaching 32.46 million. As a result, the seasonally adjusted employment rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 48.5 percent.

The employment rate remained significantly higher among men, standing at 66.1 percent, while the rate for women was recorded at 31.4 percent.

The country's labor force also expanded during the month, with the number of people either employed or actively seeking work increasing by 293,000 to reach 35.35 million.

According to the data, the seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate rose by 0.4 percentage points to 52.8 percent.

Among men, labor force participation stood at 71.0 percent, while the corresponding figure for women was 35.0 percent, highlighting the continuing gap in workforce participation between genders.

Despite gains in overall employment, youth unemployment recorded a slight increase during the month.

The unemployment rate among individuals aged 15 to 24 rose by 0.4 percentage points to 14.8 percent in May.

Youth unemployment was estimated at 11.2 percent for young men and 21.8 percent for young women, indicating that young women continue to face greater challenges in accessing employment opportunities.

TurkStat also reported a modest rise in average working hours.

Seasonally and calendar-adjusted average weekly actual working hours for employed individuals increased by 0.2 hours compared to April, reaching 42.4 hours in May.

The increase suggests a continued strengthening of economic activity and labor demand across various sectors of the economy.

While employment indicators improved, broader measures of labor market slack continued to point to challenges.

The seasonally adjusted composite labor underutilization rate—which combines unemployment, time-related underemployment, and the potential labor force—rose by 0.9 percentage points to 31.0 percent in May.

The combined rate of unemployment and time-related underemployment stood at 20.2 percent, while the combined rate of unemployment and the potential labor force was estimated at 20.5 percent.

Economists note that although rising employment and labor force participation are positive indicators, the elevated labor underutilization rate suggests that a significant number of people remain either underemployed or unable to fully participate in the labor market.

The latest figures indicate that Türkiye's labor market continued to expand in May, supported by growing employment and workforce participation, while policymakers continue to face the challenge of reducing youth unemployment and broader labor underutilization. (ILKHA)