The unemployment rate occurred as 14.7% with a 4.1 percentage point increase. In the same period, non-agricultural unemployment rate occurred as 16.9% with 4.4 percentage point increase.

While youth unemployment rate including persons aged 15-24 was 26.1% with a 7.1 percentage point increase, the unemployment rate for persons aged 15-64 occurred as 15.0% with a 4.1 percentage point increase.

The number of employed persons decreased by 811 thousand to 27 million 355 thousand persons in the period of February 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. The employment rate occurred as 44.8% with 1.8 percentage point decrease.  

The number of agricultural employment decreased by 296 thousand persons and the number of non-agricultural employment decreased by 514 thousand persons in this period.

According to the distribution of employment by sector; 17.1% was employed in agriculture, 19.7% was in the industry, 5.4% was in construction and 57.7% was in services.

Employment in agriculture decreased by 0.6 percentage point, industry decreased by 0.3 percentage point and construction decreased by 1.6 percentage point while the share of services increased by 2.4 percentage point compared with the same period of the previous year. 

The number of persons in the labor force realized 32 million 84 thousand persons with 564 thousand persons increase in the period of February 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year.

Labor force participation rate (LFPR) was 52.5% with a 0.3 percentage point increase. LFPR for male was 71.4% with a 0.1 percentage point decrease and the rate for female was 34.0% with a 0.7 percentage point increase compared with the previous period.

The ratio of persons working without any social security relating to the main job occurred by 33.5% with a 1.3 percentage point increase in the period of February 2019 compared with the same period of the previous year. In the non-agricultural sector, the rate of unregistered employment realized as 22.8% with a 1.1 percentage point increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

According to data gathered by Presidency of Strategy and Budget, total public sector employment realized as 4 million 517 thousand persons with 21.6% percentage point increase in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase was mainly due to the fact that subcontractors, who had not previously been involved in public employment, were employed as public employees (permanent workers).

Seasonally adjusted employed persons increased by 68 thousand persons and occurred 28 million 85 thousand persons compared with the previous period. Seasonally adjusted employment rate occurred as 46.0% with a 0.1 percentage point increase.

The number of seasonally adjusted unemployed persons increased by 113 thousand to 4 million 417 thousand persons in the period of February 2019 compared with the previous period. The unemployment rate was 13.6% with a 0.3 percentage point increase. Compared with the same period of the previous year.

Seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate was 53.2% with a 0.2 percentage point increase compared with the previous period. According to the number of employment by sector, employment in agriculture decreased by 23 thousand persons, industry decreased by 4 thousand persons and construction decreased by 14 thousand persons while services increased by 108 thousand persons. (ILKHA)