Over 500,000 Workers Moved Between Cities in Turkey for Job Reasons in 2025

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), 2,475,191 people relocated between provinces in 2025, with 488,643 individuals citing job transfers and employment as primary reasons. This trend underscores the continued pull of major metropolitan areas like Istanbul for career opportunities.

Geographic Analysis of Job Migration

■Istanbul led the list with 72,141 people moving for work, followed by Ankara (41,313) and Izmir (24,665).

■Provinces such as Ardahan (819), Bayburt (867), and Gümüşhane (967) recorded the lowest migration numbers, reflecting limited job mobility.

Gender Dynamics and Demographic Shifts

■Of those relocating for work, 315,008 were male and 173,556 were female, highlighting a male-dominated trend in job-related relocations.

■This pattern may exacerbate urban concentration and rural depopulation, with implications for regional economic disparities.

Expert Commentary

Seda Çetin: The surge in job-driven migration reflects structural shifts in public sector assignments and private sector opportunities. Istanbul’s dominance as a labor hub could intensify demand for housing and infrastructure, while rural provinces face deepening workforce drain. Markets may react to this uneven distribution through sector-specific investments and interest rate adjustments in regional development financing.