Turkey’s Youth Face an Income Crisis: Majority Cannot Meet Basic Needs Despite Working

A new nationwide study reveals that Turkey’s young population is facing an unprecedented economic and social crisis. According to the report “NEET Youth in Türkiye”, led by Prof. Emre Erdoğan, nearly half of young people aged 18–29 are neither working nor in education — placing Turkey at the top of the OECD’s NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) rankings.

But even those who do have a job are struggling.
Nearly 90% of employed young people say their income is insufficient to cover their needs.

A Population of 20 Million — and 5.3 Million NEETs

With the upper age bracket considered at 29, Turkey has approximately 20 million young people.
Of these, about 5.3 million are neither studying nor employed.

The survey, which included 2,403 participants across all regions of the country, shows that only 46% of young people are currently employed, while the rest are out of the workforce.

Employment prospects depend heavily on demographics:

• Men are three times more likely to be employed than women.

• Young people living in metropolitan areas are 1.3 times more likely to have a job than those in rural regions.

Low Wages, Long Hours, No Security

Among those who are working:

• 55% earn between TRY 18,000–36,000 per month, roughly at or near minimum wage.

• 58% work more than 9 hours a day — well above the EU average of 8 hours.

• Only 9% hold white-collar jobs. The majority are employed as shop assistants, factory workers, construction laborers, or service staff.

The report concludes that employment does not guarantee financial independence:

“For Turkish youth, having a job means survival, not stability.”

When asked if their income covers their needs:

• 44.6% said their income is not enough.

• 42.3% said it only covers basic necessities.

• Only 11% said their income is sufficient and allows saving.

Women Are 2.5 Times More Likely to Be NEET

Gender inequality is striking.
A young woman’s likelihood of being NEET is 2.5 times higher than a young man’s.

Reasons differ by gender:

• Women: care burden, unpaid domestic labor

• Men: inability to find employment

Youth Are Giving Up on Job Search — and on Turkey

Another alarming finding:

• 65% of unemployed youth are no longer actively searching for work.

• 82% believe finding a job is difficult or impossible.

As a result, the idea of leaving Turkey has become widespread:

• 67.8% want to migrate abroad, primarily for better job opportunities.

• 28.9% want to leave because they believe “the future of the country looks bleak.”

Among unemployed youth, the rate of those “definitely planning to leave” reaches 13.1%.

Psychological Toll: Fatigue, Sleeplessness, and Anxiety

Economic pressure is directly affecting mental health:

• 36.6% frequently feel exhausted

• 33.5% experience insomnia

• 29.2% say they feel unhappy or distressed

The vast majority —
67.9% — believe they have no control over their own lives.

Conclusion: Youth Can No Longer Afford a Future

The report argues that the situation cannot be solved with “CV training seminars” or short-term internship programs. Instead, policies must focus on:

• secure and predictable employment,

• reducing care burdens on women,

• strengthening vocational training,

• improving work–life balance and labor rights.

Otherwise, not only will Turkey continue to lose its young population to economic precarity — it will also lose them to migration.

“If income is not enough to build a life, dreams turn into a luxury item.”