In Mexico, labor exploitation remains a significant problem, affecting half of the states in the country. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), at least 15 federal entities are affected by working conditions that include extremely low wages and excessive work hours that violate the Federal Labor Law.
Nationally, 31% of Mexican workers find themselves in critical situations, which means they have insufficient income to meet their basic needs and work hours that exceed the 48-hour weekly limit established by law. This figure represents 18.5 million people in the employed population of the country.
According to the National Employment Survey for the last quarter of 2024, Chiapas tops the list as the state with the highest rate of critical working conditions, followed by Tlaxcala, State of Mexico, Puebla, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz. In contrast, Jalisco is the state with the lowest labor precariousness, followed by Baja California Sur, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Aguascalientes, and Colima.
Moreover, the data reveals an increase in the number of people seeking a second source of income to improve their quality of life. The underemployed population in Mexico has grown, reaching 4.9 million people who need and are looking for additional employment to supplement their income.
On the other hand, regarding unemployment, INEGI mentions that states such as Tabasco, Mexico City, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, and Durango exhibit higher rates, while Guerrero, Michoacán, Yucatán, Hidalgo, Baja California Sur, Campeche, and Oaxaca have lower unemployment rates.
