Turkey's construction sector reaches record employment amid urban renewal

Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data show that total paid employment in industry, construction and trade‑services rose 0.5% year‑on‑year to 15.97 million in May. The construction sector alone saw a 1.2% increase, reaching 1.933 million workers – the highest level ever recorded for the month.

Urban renewal projects drove the surge: 1.266 million workers were employed in building construction, 248,000 in non‑building structures and 418,000 in special construction activities. By July, independent units undergoing renewal exceeded 276,000 across Istanbul’s 39 districts. Professor Ali Hepşen of Istanbul University highlighted that the employment rebound reflects strong sectoral activity, while noting tighter financing and slower new‑housing output as constraints on further growth.