Vocational Graduates to Receive 50 Percent Pocket Money Increase, Minister Says

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security introduced a new support package to strengthen qualified employment and meet Turkey's need for skilled workers. Minister Vedat Işıkhan personally announced the regulation designed to encourage young people to build careers in the fields they studied.

Under the new rule, vocational high school graduates who are directly employed in production sectors will receive a 50 percent increase in their pocket money. Only those who find jobs in the same area in which they were trained and graduated are eligible for the support.

“Only young people who are employed in the field they studied and graduated from will have their pocket money increased by 50 percent.”

The measure aims to boost youth participation in the workforce and provide stronger financial backing as graduates enter the labor market. Thousands of young people starting or preparing to start working life, along with their families, welcomed the announcement.

In separate remarks made in Mardin, Işıkhan also addressed pensioners and minimum wage earners. He said budget resources are being mobilized for retirees and that minimum wage negotiations will begin in December.

The minister noted that some retirees paid very low premiums during their working lives and will receive supplementary payments to reach the minimum pension level with Treasury support. He added that some retirees receive monthly pensions exceeding 100,000 liras.

Işıkhan emphasized that the government will use budget possibilities to the upper limit and will strive to reach the highest possible figure at the bargaining table.