Official statistics released on Friday showed a slight increase in the unemployment rate in Turkey, reaching 8.1% in January, recording an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Figures issued by the Turkish Statistical Institute revealed a decline in the labor force participation rate, as it decreased by 0.8 points to reach 52.1% in January. At the same time, the index that measures incomplete exploitation of the labor force rose by 0.9 percentage points, reaching 29.9% after making seasonal adjustments, according to what was reported by Reuters.
In December 2025, Turkish Labor Minister Widad Isik Han stated that the net monthly minimum wage would reach 28.07 thousand liras ($655.53) in 2026, which represents an increase of 27% compared to 2025.
This increase in the minimum wage includes about nine million workers, and is considered an important indicator of the increase in salaries in the private sector. According to Reuters, economic experts expected that this measure would lead to an increase in the inflation rate in Türkiye in the coming months.
