Türkiye's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 8.2 percent in April 2026, while employment and labor force participation both recorded notable declines, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Thursday.

The number of unemployed people aged 15 and over fell by 5,000 compared to the previous month, reaching 2.868 million. Despite the decline in the number of unemployed, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point from March, reflecting a broader contraction in the labor market.

The unemployment rate was estimated at 6.8 percent for men and 11.0 percent for women, highlighting the continuing gender gap in employment opportunities.

Employment Falls by 356,000

The number of employed persons dropped sharply by 356,000 in April, bringing total employment to 32.166 million people. As a result, the seasonally adjusted employment rate declined by 0.6 percentage points to 48.1 percent.

Employment among men remained significantly higher, with an employment rate of 65.4 percent, compared with 31.2 percent for women.

The decline in employment was accompanied by a reduction in labor force participation. The labor force shrank by 361,000 people during the month, falling to 35.034 million.

Consequently, the labor force participation rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 52.4 percent. The participation rate stood at 70.2 percent for men and 35.0 percent for women.

Youth Unemployment Improves

One positive indicator in the latest data was the decline in youth unemployment.

The unemployment rate among people aged 15 to 24 fell by 0.8 percentage points to 14.5 percent in April. Youth unemployment was estimated at 12.0 percent for young men and 19.4 percent for young women.

Working Hours Increase

TurkStat also reported that average weekly actual working hours for employed individuals increased during the month.

Seasonally and calendar-adjusted average weekly working hours rose by 0.3 hours compared to March, reaching 42.1 hours in April.

Labour Underutilization Remains High

Broader measures of labor market weakness showed signs of improvement but remained elevated.

The composite labor underutilization rate—which includes unemployed individuals, time-related underemployed workers, and the potential labor force—declined by 1.2 percentage points to 30.1 percent in April.

Meanwhile, the combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment stood at 19.3 percent, while the combined rate of unemployment and potential labor force was estimated at 20.5 percent.

Mixed Signals from the Labor Market

The latest figures present a mixed picture of Türkiye's labor market. While youth unemployment and broader labor underutilization indicators showed improvement, the significant decline in employment and labor force participation suggests that fewer people were actively working or seeking work during the month.

Economists will likely watch upcoming labor market data closely to determine whether April's contraction in employment reflects temporary fluctuations or signals a broader slowdown in labor market activity. (ILKHA)