Mexico Hits Formal Employment Record With 22.78 Million

Mexico's formal employment reached a record 22.78 million IMSS-registered workers in June 2026, supported by continued hiring in manufacturing, logistics, technology, infrastructure, and other key sectors, while wages continued to outpace inflation. The expansion strengthens Mexico's labor market, social security system, and investment competitiveness as nearshoring and export-oriented industries grow, while IMSS's approval of new hospitals in the State of Mexico and Sonora reflects parallel efforts to expand healthcare capacity and support the country's long-term workforce and economic development. 

Mexico's formal labor market reached a new milestone at the end of June 2026, with 22.78 million workers registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the highest figure ever recorded for the month of June. The result underscores the resilience of the country's labor market despite global economic uncertainty and reinforces the expansion of social security coverage for millions of workers.

According to Zoé Robledo, Director General, IMSS, the country generated 61,023 formal jobs during June, bringing total job creation in the first half of 2026 to 262,628 positions. Compared to June 2025, the number of registered workers increased by 454,038 jobs, reflecting continued year-over-year growth in formal employment.

The increase in formal employment comes as Mexico continues to attract foreign direct investment in manufacturing, logistics, technology and infrastructure, sectors that have supported hiring across the country. Formal employment registered with the IMSS provides workers with access to healthcare, pensions, disability insurance, housing loans, and childcare services, making it a key indicator of labor market quality and social protection.

Wages also continued to improve. The average base contribution salary reached MX$669.1 per day, representing a 6.4% annual increase, outpacing inflation. The sustained rise in wages suggests that labor market gains are being accompanied by improvements in worker income, strengthening household purchasing power while expanding contributions to Mexico's social security system.

IMSS reported that 9.2 million women are currently registered with the institute, representing 40.4% of all affiliated workers, while the agency also highlighted progress in incorporating digital platform workers into the formal social security system under recent labor reforms.

Employment growth has been supported by sectors including transportation, commerce, financial services, tourism, construction, healthcare, and education, reflecting broad-based demand for labor across the economy. Manufacturing, which has benefited from nearshoring investment and expanding export capacity, also continues to play a significant role in sustaining formal job creation.

The latest figures reinforce Mexico's position as one of North America's most dynamic labor markets, with formal employment and wages continuing to expand alongside rising investment. As companies scale operations to serve regional supply chains and growing demand in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, data centers, and automotive production, the formal workforce is expected to remain a key pillar of the country's economic growth.

IMSS is also expanding its infrastructure with the authorization of two new hospitals, reports MBN. The projects point to a growing emphasis on specialized care, diagnostic efficiency, and healthcare system capacity as Mexico faces rising demand for complex medical services. The two new hospitals aim to expand access to healthcare services in two important regions of the country. They include a 40-bed Pediatric Oncology Hospital in Ecatepec, State of Mexico, and a new 120-bed General Hospital in Guaymas, Sonora, which will replace the existing Hospital General de Zona No. 4. The projects point to a growing emphasis on specialized care, diagnostic efficiency and healthcare system capacity as Mexico faces rising demand for complex medical services.

The Pediatric Oncology Hospital in Ecatepec will involve an investment of nearly MX$2 billion and will feature advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging, tomography, radiotherapy, and a linear accelerator. 

The facility has been designed with a specific objective: reducing diagnostic times for pediatric cancer patients and initiating treatment within the same medical unit. The institute expects the hospital to establish diagnoses in less than 72 hours and contribute to reducing childhood cancer mortality by up to 10%. The announcement represents a significant investment in healthcare infrastructure but it also reflects a bigger shift in how Mexico is approaching healthcare capacity building.