22.07.2026 11:40
SGK Chief Expert Isa Karakas, commenting on the regional and sectoral minimum wage model evaluated by the economic administration, stated that the practice could create problems in many areas from the social security system to the labor market, saying "it would cause a huge chaos." Academic Tarkan Zengin, on the other hand, expressed that he does not expect the single national minimum wage system in Turkey to change in the short term.
The regional and sectoral minimum wage model that institutions related to economic management are working on continues to be evaluated by the public. During the preparation process, alternative practices are being examined by considering labor costs of different sectors and living expenses across cities, while experts have also provided notable assessments.
The main objectives of the study include protecting workers' purchasing power, increasing employment, and supporting the competitiveness of businesses. Before the regulation is implemented, it is planned to seek the opinions of worker and employer representatives, with the final decision to be made after analyses are conducted.
"IT WOULD CAUSE A HUGE CHAOS" Speaking to Türkiye Newspaper, SGK Chief Expert İsa Karakaş stated that the minimum wage in Turkey is not just a factor determining employee salaries and said that a regional wage application could lead to serious problems.
Karakaş said, "The minimum wage in Turkey is a benchmark. When you determine it on a regional basis, you cause a huge chaos. The reason it has not been implemented despite being brought up many times is that it would lead to a major systemic crisis."
"OVER 100 APPLICATIONS WOULD BE AFFECTED" Karakaş emphasized that the minimum wage directly affects not only salaries but also many elements of the social security system, stating that over 100 applications, including sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, severance pay, social benefits, and SGK administrative fines, are indexed to the minimum wage.
Karakaş said, "When you change the minimum wage, you disrupt all these parameters."
SGK Chief Expert İsa Karakaş "LABOR MIGRATION COULD BEGIN"
Karakaş noted that if a regional minimum wage is implemented, labor mobility could occur from provinces with lower wages to regions offering higher pay.
Stating that as a result, employers in some provinces might struggle to find qualified workers, Karakaş said he does not expect such a regulation to come into effect under current conditions.
Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty Member Tarkan Zengin "CHANGING THE SYSTEM DOES NOT SEEM EASY" Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty Member Tarkan Zengin reminded that Turkey still applies a uniform national minimum wage system.
Zengin stated that in some countries, wages are determined based on the region's development level, cost of living, and sector characteristics, but these models carry various risks in terms of labor migration and oversight.
Zengin noted that the uniform minimum wage system is an established practice in Turkey and expressed that changing the system in the short term does not seem easy.