Turkey labor market challenges

In mid‑July, Turkish labor data highlighted a deepening employment crisis. IŞKUR reported nearly 2.5 million job seekers, with the textile and ready‑made clothing sector shedding 377 000 jobs over three years, many firms closing, export shares sinking and production shifting abroad. The same period saw a grim spike in occupational fatalities, with 228 worker deaths in June, most in agriculture, forestry and construction.

Two weeks later, TÜİK data showed a contrasting surge in the construction sector, which reached a record 1.933 million workers in May – the highest monthly level reported. Urban‑renewal projects drove the increase, employing over a million workers in building construction and related activities. Analysts noted the rebound as a sign of sectoral vigor, even as tighter financing and a slowdown in new‑housing output limited further growth.

Together, the snapshots depict a Turkish labor market marked by sector‑specific volatility: persistent unemployment and safety concerns in traditional industries, alongside a booming construction segment spurred by renewal initiatives.