15.11.2026 17:30
The fact that millions of young people in Turkey are excluded from education and employment has brought the youth unemployment problem back onto the agenda. While the number of young people publicly referred to as "stay-at-home youth" varies by age group, according to the series created from TÜİK data, 4 million 566 thousand young people in the 15-29 age group are neither in education nor in employment. In the 15-24 age group, this number is calculated as 2 million 538 thousand.
The number of young people in Turkey who are neither in education nor employment is expressed in millions. TÜİK data on the group publicly called "home youth" revealed that 4 million 566 thousand people in the 15-29 age group remain outside education and working life. In the 15-24 age group, this number is over 2.5 million.
Youth unemployment and disengagement from education in Turkey continue to be among the most important problems of working life. Young people defined in international literature as NEET, meaning not in any educational institution, not working and not receiving vocational training, are publicly called "home youth".
The series of young population outside employment and education by age groups created from TÜİK data laid bare the scale of the problem. In the second quarter of 2026, the number of young people neither in education nor employment in the 15-29 age group reached 4 million 566 thousand.
OVER 2.5 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE 15-24 AGE GROUP
In the same period, the number of young people outside education and employment in the 15-24 age group was recorded as 2 million 538 thousand.
In the Youth Labor Report published by the DİSK/Genel-İş Research Department in May 2026, it was stated that 2 million 684 thousand young people in the 15-24 age group were neither in education nor employment. According to the report, the share of these young people in the total young population corresponds to 23.3 percent.
THE PICTURE IS WORSE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN
The gender distribution in the DİSK/Genel-İş report also drew attention.
While the number of men in the 15-24 age group not in education and employment was announced as 969 thousand, this number rose to 1 million 715 thousand among young women.
Accordingly, the NEET rate was calculated as 30.9 percent for young women and 16.3 percent for men. It drew attention that the rate of young women remaining outside education and working life reached almost twice that of men.
LOW WAGES, EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT AND BURNOUT
Economic conditions play an important role in young people distancing themselves from education and working life. Low wages, the experience requirement sought in job postings, rising living costs and the inability to find a job suitable for one's field of education are shown among the main problems young people face.
Some young people state that the income they would earn if they worked does not cover transportation, food and other basic expenses, while others distance themselves from working life due to the obstacles they face in the job search process.
Experts draw attention to the increased risk of loss of self-confidence, isolation and disconnection from social life among young people who remain outside education and employment for a long time.