Mexico Loses 47,000 Jobs in April

Mexico’s formal employment sector contracted in April, with 47,442 jobs lost, according to data released by the IMSS. The agency attributed the decline to Easter Week, which fell entirely within April this year.

While IMSS linked the drop to seasonal factors, financial group Base challenged that interpretation, reports Forbes. Its economic analysis unit noted that over the past 10 years, excluding 2020, formal job creation during Easter Week months averaged 44,607 positions, indicating that this year’s decline diverges from historical patterns.

"This is the first time since 2020 that April recorded a net loss in formal employment," Base told Forbes. In that year, marked by the pandemic, the country saw a drop of over 555,000 formal jobs. Prior to that, the last employment loss for April occurred in 2009.

As of April 30, 2025, Mexico registered 22,417,668 formal jobs with IMSS, of which 87% were permanent and 13% temporary. Despite the monthly setback, employment growth for the year remains positive, states IMSS, with 179,289 jobs created between January and April, 86.2% of them permanent roles.

According to IMSS, year-on-year figures also show a marginal increase, with 43,466 more jobs than in April 2024, equivalent to an annual growth rate of 0.2%. Job growth has been strongest in commerce (2.3%), electricity (2.1%), and social and communal services (1.6%). Among Mexican states, the State of Mexico, Colima, Hidalgo, and Nuevo Leon recorded employment growth exceeding 2.5%.

The average daily wage associated with IMSS-registered jobs reached MX$621.9 (US$32) in April, representing a nominal year-on-year increase of 7.6%. As reported by IMSS, this is the highest nominal wage increase for an April in 23 years and marks the continuation of a trend observed since January 2019, with annual wage hikes at or above 6%.

However, the number of registered employers fell by 2.5% compared to April 2024, totaling 1,047,376. In April, the number of positions associated with domestic workers reached 60,566, with an expected 99,268 potential beneficiaries. The average daily wage in this category was MX$426.8 (US$22) Additionally, 312,777 jobs were registered under the independent workers scheme, with an estimated 512,642 potential beneficiaries. The average wage in this category stood at MX$329.9 (US$17) per day.

IMSS figures suggest that while formal employment remains largely stable in the longer term, short-term fluctuations may be influenced by factors beyond calendar effects. Analysts are expected to monitor whether the April contraction marks a temporary deviation or signals broader structural challenges in the labor market.