ISTANBUL — The number of paid employees in Türkiye’s trade sector continued to increase in June, extending its year-on-year growth streak to 80 consecutive months.
According to data compiled from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the number of paid employees across Türkiye exceeded 16.3 million in the first half of 2026. Within this total, employment in the trade sector surpassed 3.5 million.
Trade-sector employment rose from 3,452,952 in June 2025 to 3,564,721 in June 2026, representing a 3.2% year-on-year increase. The latest rise extended the sector’s annual employment growth streak to 80 months. The last year-on-year decline was recorded in October 2019.
Retail Sector Accounts for More Than 1.8 Million Jobs
Retail trade accounted for the largest share of employment within the sector. The number of employees in retail trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased from 1,784,688 in June 2025 to 1,851,124 in June 2026, marking a 3.7% annual increase.
Employment in wholesale trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, remained above 1.3 million. The number of employees in this segment reached 1,330,319 in June, up 1.8% year on year.
Meanwhile, employment in the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles reached 383,278 during the first half of the year, representing a 6.1% annual increase.
Despite geopolitical risks and increasing trade protectionism globally, rising domestic demand and financing support have contributed to continued employment growth across Türkiye’s trade sector.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök