Overview
- INEGI’s May 2026 release, reported July 23, shows employed personnel in IMMEX establishments fell about 1.5 percent year‑on‑year on a seasonally adjusted basis, continuing a decline that began in 2024.
- Hours worked in IMMEX firms dropped both month‑to‑month and year‑on‑year in May 2026, with total hours down 1.4 percent versus May 2025 and 601.7 million hours recorded for the month.
- Average real monthly remunerations paid directly by IMMEX establishments rose 1.1 percent from April and 5.8 percent year‑on‑year in May 2026, creating a gap between pay gains and falling headcounts.
- State data published July 23 show marked regional contrast: Baja California’s IMMEX export revenues rose 14 percent year‑on‑year to 35,502.9 million pesos in May 2026, while Querétaro saw employment rise but national and export revenues fall 8.4 percent and 15.1 percent respectively.
- IMMEX activity remains concentrated in a few states—Nuevo León, Chihuahua, Baja California, Coahuila, Jalisco and Tamaulipas—and the mix of fewer jobs, fewer hours and higher pay could reflect changes in production technology, contract mix, or a reallocation of export work across regions with local consequences for workers and municipal revenues.