Turkey’s unemployment hit 8.1% in July, but the real shock is the broader labor underuse rate, which has climbed to 30.6%.

That figure, known as the “atıl işgücü” (idle labor force) rate, includes not only the officially unemployed but also people who are underemployed or have stopped looking for work. In real numbers, that equals roughly 12.3 million people. The official unemployment count rose to 2.86 million in July, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). The unemployment rate increased to 8.1% from the previous month. The wider “idle labor” measure—which combines the unemployed, potential job seekers, and time-related underemployment—shows a much larger share of the workforce is struggling to find full, stable work. While the official rate is often cited in headlines, the 30.6% idle rate paints a more complete picture of labor market weakness. Experts note the gap between the two figures highlights a growing problem: many people have either given up searching or are working fewer hours than they would like.