Turkey businesses face labor shortages despite high wage offers

Businesses across various sectors in Turkey are reporting significant difficulties in recruiting staff, despite offering high wages. In the industrial sector, specifically at the 4. Levent Otosanayi Sitesi, workshops are struggling to find apprentices. Some employers report offering monthly salaries of 40,000 TL or weekly payments of 10,000 TL, yet they receive no applicants. Industry officials expressed concern that the lack of new apprentices will prevent the next generation of masters and journeymen from emerging, potentially leading to the decline of these trades.

Similarly, the service and tourism sectors are facing a qualified personnel crisis. In the Şavşat Karagöl region of Artvin, a tourism business reported being unable to find an experienced chef even after offering a monthly salary of 100,000 TL. Business owners suggest that the issue is not a lack of available jobs, but rather a problem of job selection, as workers are increasingly selective regarding the nature and conditions of the work offered.