IMSS Begins Pilot to Expand Coverage to Digital Platform Workers

Mexico’s Social Security Institute (IMSS) launches a pilot program that will incorporate digital platform workers into the country’s social security system. The measure, which comes into effect on July 1, is based on the labor reform published on Dec. 24, 2024, and aims to ensure compliance with recently added obligations under the Federal Labor Law.

The pilot program targets both digital platforms and their workers. Under the new framework, companies operating digital platforms must register with IMSS and enroll workers who meet minimum income thresholds. These rules mark the first regulatory step toward formally integrating gig economy workers, such as ride-hailing drivers and delivery personnel, into the public social protection system.

Platform companies have two options: comply with standard employer obligations under the Social Security Law, or adhere to the specific rules outlined for the pilot. Under either scenario, they must register workers with a base salary equal to or greater than the daily minimum wage in Mexico City and determine contributions based on net monthly earnings.

The rules require companies to report affiliations and salary changes monthly, notify IMSS and workers of any contract terminations, cover employer-employee contributions, and provide information to IMSS in the event of work-related injuries.

In case of a workplace injury, if a platform worker earned at least the minimum monthly wage, they will be fully covered under the mandatory scheme. If their earnings fall below the threshold, but the injury occurs while performing platform-related tasks, the platform must still cover the cost of their social security during the incapacity period.

The classification of platform companies under the workplace risk insurance scheme will align with existing sectors such as passenger transport and parcel services. The insurance premium must be reviewed annually based on the number of claims associated with each registered entity.

Workers who do not meet the minimum income requirement over a given month will be classified as self-employed and may enroll voluntarily in the IMSS scheme.

IMSS has 180 calendar days from the rule publication date to analyze results and develop further legislative proposals. These would aim to define, in greater detail, the structure and enforcement mechanisms of the new obligations for digital platforms operating in Mexico.

The new regulatory framework seeks to balance flexibility in digital employment models with expanded access to social protection, aligning Mexico’s labor and social security systems with global trends in platform work regulation. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the labor reform on digital platform work will benefit nearly 700,000 workers and their families in Mexico