Türkiye’s labor market showed a modest annual uptick in paid employment, with a 0.6% increase in March 2025 compared to the previous year, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

The data, released Thursday, highlights a workforce of 15.32 million paid employees across industry, construction, and trade-services sectors, up from 15.22 million in March 2024.

The trade-services sector led the growth, posting a robust 2.7% annual rise. However, the industrial sector saw a 2.6% decline, and construction employment remained flat, reflecting ongoing challenges like high input costs and global demand fluctuations.

Month-on-month, the picture was less rosy. Paid employment fell by 0.2% from February to March 2025, with industry and construction both down 0.7%, while trade-services eked out a slight 0.1% gain.

Analysts attribute the annual gains to a resilient service economy but warn that industrial and construction sectors face persistent headwinds. The mixed data underscores the delicate balancing act for policymakers tackling growth, inflation, and job creation amid macroeconomic uncertainties. (ILKHA)