Türkiye hikes minimum wage by 27% for 2026

Minimum wage in Türkiye will be increased by 27% in 2026, Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan announced on Tuesday.

The new net monthly minimum wage will rise to TL 28,075 (about $655.5), up from TL 22,104 this year, Işıkhan told a press conference in Ankara. The gross minimum wage will be set at TL 33,030, he said.

Işıkhan added that government support for the minimum wage would also rise, increasing from TL 1,000 to TL 1,270.

"With the new wage, we stand behind our promise of not letting our employees be crushed by inflation," he said.

The announcement followed the third meeting of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, the body responsible for setting the national minimum wage. The tripartite commission consists of 15 members – five each from the government, employers and workers.

However, this year's talks were held without the participation of Türk-Iş, the main labor confederation, which has complained about the structure of the commission.

Later on Tuesday, Ergün Atalay, Türk-Iş president, said they were not accepting the increase. "This figure does not meet any of our demands; it is not a figure we can accept," Atalay told reporters.

Many economists had expected the 2026 hike to be set at around 25%.

The adjustment will directly affect millions of workers and is widely seen as a benchmark for private-sector pay rises. It also carries significant implications for inflation, labor costs and future interest rate decisions.

Işıkhan said the key priority was ensuring that wage increases "do not melt away in bazaars, markets, and on store shelves."

"With these increases, we aim to protect our citizens' purchasing power and improve their quality of life," he said.

Annual inflation in Türkiye cooled to 31.1% in November, the lowest level in four years.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said on Tuesday that the government’s priority for 2026 is to bring inflation below 20%.

The government will continue to "resolutely" implement policies aimed at ensuring permanent social welfare "on a path where inflation is falling and productivity is rising," Yılmaz said in a post on social media platform X.

The Turkish central bank's end-2025 interim inflation target stands at 24%, with a forecast range of 31%-33%.

The bank expects inflation to fall to its 16% interim target by the end of 2026, in line with the government's medium-term program, with a projected range of 13%-19%.

How much did the minimum wage increase by year?