Türkiye’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 8.6% in November 2025, according to the Household Labour Force Survey released this week.

Data showed that the number of unemployed people aged 15 and over increased by 54,000 compared to the previous month, reaching 3.098 million. The unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point month-on-month. By gender, unemployment was estimated at 7.0% for men and significantly higher at 11.8% for women.

Despite the rise in unemployment, employment figures also improved during the same period. The number of employed persons increased by 75,000 to 32.737 million in November. The seasonally adjusted employment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 49.2%. Employment stood at 66.8% for men, while the rate for women remained markedly lower at 31.9%.

The labour force also expanded in November. The number of people participating in the labour market increased by 128,000 to 35.834 million. As a result, the labour force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 53.8%. Participation was calculated at 71.8% for men and 36.2% for women, highlighting the persistent gender gap in the labour market.

Youth unemployment in the 15–24 age group remained unchanged at 15.4% in November. The rate stood at 10.6% for young men, while youth unemployment among women was considerably higher at 24.4%.

Average weekly actual working hours, adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, increased slightly by 0.1 hours to 42.3 hours in November.

Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted composite measure of labour underutilization—which includes time-related underemployment, the potential labour force and unemployment—declined by 0.6 percentage point to 29.1%. The combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was calculated at 18.7%, while the combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force stood at 20.2%.

The latest figures point to a mixed picture in Türkiye’s labour market, with rising employment and participation alongside a modest increase in unemployment, as structural challenges—particularly youth and female unemployment—continue to persist. (ILKHA)