Over 100,000 new jobs created thanks to Turkish gov’t campaign to boost employment: Sources

ANKARA

Some 103,000 new jobs were created in Turkey between Feb. 1 and 20 after the government started a campaign to boost employment, according to sources from the Labor and Social Security Ministry. 

This figure is expected to hit 150,000 by the end of the month, sources told daily Hürriyet on Feb. 23. 

The government’s employment encouragement campaign, which was announced early in February, aims to create 2 million new jobs. The package is expected to cost 12.3 billion Turkish Liras ($3.4 billion), most of which will be met from the Employment Fund. 

Social security premiums and other premiums are slated to be paid for each new employee for a one-year period by the state authorities. 

With the support and incentives provided, the cost for an employer who employs an individual on minimum wage will decrease by 773 liras to 1,404 liras. 

Turkey’s unemployment rate rose to 12.1 percent in November 2016, marking the highest such rate since March 2010, official data showed on Feb. 15.