The New Minimum Wage to be Applied in 2025 was Determined as 22 Thousand 104 Lira

Minister Işıkhan announced the result of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission's work to determine the minimum wage figure to be valid in the new year at a meeting held at the Ministry.

Announcing the minimum wage that will be valid for 2025 at the meeting, Minister Işıkhan stated the following:

“Minimum wage is not a general wage level, but the lowest wage level. The main thing is that every employee receives the right of his/her labour in accordance with the quality of his/her work. It is also right for our employers to charge labour at its real value. Every fair wage increases the abundance and productivity of the enterprises. As AK Party governments, we have placed social justice, labour and solidarity at the centre of our development policies for 22 years. In line with the vision of the Century of Türkiye, which was shaped under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we aim for a future where social solidarity and welfare are strengthened as well as economic growth.”

“Türkiye is now in a serious disinflation process”

Mr Işıkhan emphasised that Türkiye has strengthened its economic stability day by day with fiscal discipline and balanced growth policies in order to quickly eliminate the effects of global and regional problems, disasters and epidemics that Türkiye has recently faced, and noted the following, “I would also like to state that Türkiye is now in a serious disinflation process. Our most important goal is to protect and increase the purchasing power of all segments of the society, especially those on fixed incomes, without discriminating between workers, employers, civil servants and pensioners, and to make the prosperity we have achieved permanent. In this process, while taking steps to increase the welfare level of our citizens, we are also waging a determined struggle against exorbitant price increases.”

Pointing out that they do not want to enter a cycle in which wage increases melt on the market shelves and in the markets, Minister Işıkhan said, “We are working to protect the real value of every coin that enters the pockets of our employees. For this reason, we have to act in a balanced and measured manner in order to maintain fiscal discipline and to prevent damage to the disinflation process.”

“We carried out the process within the framework of the Social Dialogue Mechanism”

Işıkhan stated that the minimum wage determination process was carried out within the framework of the social dialogue mechanism and said, “The work was carried out with a really constructive understanding with all our commission members. I believe that we have successfully managed this process together, which increases the welfare of our employees, protects the competitiveness of our employers and strengthens the economic stability and social development of our country.”

Pointing out that the most balanced level is determined by evaluating the macroeconomic and cyclical dynamics as well as the suggestions of the representatives of workers and employers, Minister Işıkhan continued his words as follows:

“I would like to thank all commission members, representatives of workers and employers who have contributed to this process. I would also like to express my gratitude to all trade unions, institutions and relevant ministries that have contributed to and supported the work of the commission with their opinions and recommendations, and to all my colleagues who ensured that the work was carried out in a healthy manner. Of course, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who, with his strong will and vision, leads our approach of giving the right to the sweat of the brow and our determination to protect the worker, the employer and employment at the same time. I wish that the new amount determined in line with the opinions expressed by the representatives of the workers and employers as a result of the commission meetings will be beneficial to all our citizens, especially our employees and their families who are subject to the minimum wage.”

“We have determined the net minimum wage as 22 thousand 104 Lira”

Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan reminded that the net minimum wage in 2024 was applied as 17 thousand 2 lira with 700 lira minimum wage support provided by the state and said, “We have determined the net minimum wage to be valid as of 1 January 2025 as 22 thousand 104 lira. We have increased the minimum wage support we provide as the state for each minimum wage earner from 700 liras to 1000 liras. May it be beneficial and auspicious for our country and our beloved nation.”

“Since 2002, we have almost quadrupled the minimum wage in real terms”

Stating that this figure represents a 30 per cent increase in the net minimum wage compared to the previous year, Işıkhan also said that since 2002, they have increased the minimum wage nearly 4 times in real terms.

Minister Işıkhan said, “Our state will continue to stand by its workers, employers and all citizens with all its institutions and organisations. The Century of Türkiye will continue to move forward with decisive steps in the spirit of unity and solidarity in which labourers, producers, employers and investors join hands.”

“Our Main Goal is to Increase the Welfare Level of All Segments of the Society”

Stating that they will continue to meet all the needs of working life in consultation, common sense and unity of power with all stakeholders as they have done so far, Işıkhan said:

“Social dialogue is our most important strength. Our main goal is not only to increase the minimum wage, but also to increase the welfare level of our workers, employers, civil servants, pensioners and all segments of the society. Finally, I would like to express once again that we are determined to make the Century of Türkiye, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the century of labour and production.”

Özgür Burak Akkol, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Confederation of Employers' Associations (TISK), also took part in the meeting.