Is There an Interim Increase in the Minimum Wage? Official Statement Arrived

There will be a raise increase for retirees and civil servants in the second half of 2026. While this increase within the scope of the collective agreement was being discussed, the minimum wage increase also came to the table. Especially in Turkey, where the early election agenda is intense, the low minimum wage increase for 2026 has brought raise scenarios to the agenda. So, what is the latest situation behind the scenes regarding the issue?

Will there be an interim increase in the minimum wage? Expectations for the Minimum Wage Interim Increase are High. Rising inflation, the Central Bank’s revision and increase of the year-end inflation target, and the low 2026 minimum wage increase rate have led to increased expectations for a raise. Due to the fact that there will be a second increase for civil servants and retirees as of July, demands for an interim increase in the minimum wage were voiced on social media this year, as in 2025.

The minimum wage increase in December 2025 soon eroded against inflation. With the increase of 27 percent, salaries were revised as 28,075.50 TL net and 33,030.00 TL gross as of January 1, 2026. With this increase, the total cost to the employer was 40,874.63 TL. With this increase, which was last made in December 2025, the minimum wage was increased from 22,104.67 TL to 28,075.50 TL. However, with the 4-month inflation data of 2026, the total increase was 14.64 percent.

For this reason, a small increase in salaries is expected. Will there be an interim increase in the minimum wage? Following these discussions on the agenda, all eyes turned to the government and an official statement was made regarding the minimum wage increase. The person who made a statement about the expectations was AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler. Using clear expressions, Abdullah Güler said that there is no work on an interim increase in the minimum wage.

“Currently, we do not have any work of this nature on our agenda; I would like to express this. We have always stood by our low-income people and retirees, and we will continue to do so.” Concluding his words by saying, the Group President shared the bad news for millions of minimum wage workers.