Youth Employment Crisis in Turkey: “House Youth” Despair Grows

A haunting economic and psychological portrait of Turkey’s next generation has emerged from the Habitat Association’s 2025 “Youth Well-Being” report. The findings confirm a structural “youth employment” crisis in Turkey, in which a staggering one in two young people remains outside the workforce. Among those actively seeking careers, the outlook is even bleaker: only 16% express any hope for their professional future, highlighting a profound collapse in morale amid the employment crisis facing youth in Turkey.

The Low-Income Trap: Two-Thirds Earn Under 30,000 TL

The financial reality for the 18-29 age demographic is increasingly characterized by stagnation. According to the data, 67.9% of young people survive on a monthly income of 30,000 TL or less. This widespread economic constriction has caused satisfaction with personal financial status to plummet from 61% in 2017 to just 40% in 2025.

The employment crisis for youth in Turkey is not just about a lack of jobs, but a lack of viable jobs. This “income squeeze” has direct psychological consequences, with experts noting that the inability to achieve financial independence is dragging an entire generation into a social and mental impasse.

The Death of the Entrepreneurial Dream

Perhaps the most alarming shift in the report is the evaporation of ambition. In 2017, 63% of young Turks dreamed of starting their own business; by 2025, that figure had crashed to 36%. This decline in risk appetite is driven by a deep-seated belief that the system is rigged. 72% of participants feel they cannot find a job even if they wanted to, a sentiment that rises to an incredible 94% among active job seekers.

Furthermore, the youth employment crisis in Turkey is fueled by a perception of systemic unfairness. When asked about the biggest barriers to entry:

• 38% cited a general lack of job opportunities.

• 33% pointed to a lack of “connections” or nepotism.

The Gender Gap and the “House Youth” Phenomenon

The data exposes a widening “gender abyss” within the labor market. While 59% of young men are currently employed, only 38% of young women are part of the workforce. This disparity has solidified the “house youth” phenomenon—those who are neither in education nor employment.

Habitat Association Board Chairman Bora Caldu and Prof. Dr. Emre Erdoğan emphasize that youth well-being is inextricably linked to economic agency. Without structural reforms to address low wages and the perceived lack of meritocracy, the employment crisis for youth in Turkey threatens to become a permanent fixture of the national landscape, leaving a generation socially and psychologically stranded.