The share of young people who neither work nor look for work does not tell an employer how many candidates are available to hire. The group includes students and others outside the labour force for different reasons. A hiring plan starts with the particular role, location and terms, rather than the size of the population.
What the figures show
In its 27 October 2026 release for September, TÜİK estimated seasonally adjusted unemployment among 15–24-year-olds at 14.8% of that age group’s labour force: 10.4% for men and 23.3% for women. The overall unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over was 8.4%. These cover different age groups; unemployment is measured against the labour force, not all young people.
The participation rates of 70.7% for men and 35.2% for women in the release’s table refer to people aged 15 and over, not only young people. The number outside the labour force cannot be treated as the number of available or willing job candidates.
Case: staffing a new site
Case: a company opens a site and expects to fill several entry-level roles quickly. An aggregate unemployment rate does not establish that suitable candidates live near the site or will accept the proposed schedule.
Before approving the budget, define essential skills, working language, shift pattern and transport, and ask the accountant to check the full employer cost. Allow time for recruitment, onboarding and training. Identify which activities cannot slip if the first hiring round takes longer.
Track the hiring process
Compare suitable applications, offer acceptance and reasons for refusal for each role. If few candidates meet the requirements, review the search channel and requirements; if offers are declined, examine pay, shifts, travel and expectations. Recalculate the full budget when conditions change, not just advertised salary.
Do not infer why people are unemployed or whether a group is willing to work from one aggregate indicator. Compare like periods, age groups and seasonal adjustments where possible; monthly estimates can be revised.
Source
Reviewed on 28 October 2026: TÜİK labour force statistics for September 2026, release 57988 of 27 October.