The number of paid employees in Türkiye rose by 1.2% year-on-year in May 2025, reaching nearly 15.9 million, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Wednesday.

The total number of paid employees across the industrial, construction, and trade-services sectors increased from 15,698,674 in May 2024 to 15,883,683 in May 2025, marking a modest but steady annual growth in employment.

A closer look at sectoral performance reveals contrasting trends. The number of paid employees in the industrial sector declined by 3.1% year-on-year, while the construction sector recorded a 4.6% increase in paid employment. The trade-services sector also showed a healthy growth rate of 2.9% compared to the same month last year.

On a monthly basis, however, the overall number of paid employees remained unchanged from April 2025.

In monthly sectoral comparisons, the industrial sector saw a 0.6% decline in employment, while the construction and trade-services sectors recorded marginal increases of 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively.

The data highlights the continuing resilience of Türkiye’s service-oriented sectors and construction activity, despite ongoing weaknesses in industrial employment. Analysts suggest that broader macroeconomic trends, such as cost pressures and export slowdowns, may be contributing to the contraction in industrial jobs. (ILKHA)