Mexico lost 401,000 jobs between January and September 2026, the first accumulated decline in a comparable period since 2020, according to the National Survey of Occupation and Employment (ENOE) that the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) released on October 22, 2026.
The figure is almost entirely concentrated in informal employment, which fell by 426,000 positions, while formal employment added just 24,000 jobs over the same span. The September reading adds further signals: the ENOE reported by El Economista counts 717,972 fewer jobs than in August, the largest monthly drop of the year. For the Mexican community on both sides of the border, the record matters because a large share of the household income that is earned, sent or shared between Mexico and the United States depends on that market.
The breakdown by type of work helps make sense of the movement. El Universal Cartera reports that in September employed people earning income averaged 13,128 pesos, a 5.2% rise versus September 2025 once inflation is discounted. By sector, agriculture, livestock and fishing was the only one with a gain, adding 318,449 positions, while services fell by 577,979 and industry lost 473,570, with manufacturing and construction both down. The unemployment rate fell to 2.8%, although the inactive population grew by 873,000 people, and informality stood at 54.3% of the employed population.
The voices consulted describe a labor market marked by caution. Janneth Quiroz, director of economic analysis at Monex, anticipates, according to El Universal, an environment of greater prudence driven by moderate growth, limited domestic consumption and weak investment. Gabriela Siller, chief economist at Banco Base, told that outlet that the job losses are very bad news and contrast with the expected third-quarter GDP growth. The next key data point will be the October ENOE, which Inegi will publish in late November: that is where it will become clear whether the fourth quarter breaks the trend.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.
