The number of paid employees in Türkiye’s industry, construction and trade-services sectors increased by 1.8 percent year-on-year in March 2026, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on May 15.
Total paid employment rose to 15.6 million, up from 15.32 million in the same month a year earlier.
Employment in the industrial sector declined by 2.7 percent year-on-year to 4.74 million, with manufacturing employment falling 3 percent to 4.4 million.
By contrast, the construction sector posted a strong performance, with paid employment rising 6.4 percent annually to 1.85 million. The trade and services sector also expanded, growing 3.5 percent year-on-year to exceed 9 million employees.
Within services, the transportation and storage sector recorded a 5.2 percent annual increase, reaching 1.33 million employees, while employment in information and communication remained broadly unchanged at 294,296.
The accommodation and food services sector saw a notable rise of 5 percent year-on-year, with employment reaching 1.27 million, TÜİK data showed.
On a monthly basis, total paid employment edged up 0.1 percent in March compared to February 2026.
Sectoral trends were mixed on a monthly basis: employment in industry declined 0.3 percent, while construction rose 0.9 percent and trade and services increased 0.2 percent month-on-month.
