Mexico Jobless Rate Rises But Less than Forecast

Mexico's unemployment rate rose to 2.4% in March 2026 from 2.2% in the same month a year ago, slightly below market forecasts of 2.5%. The number of unemployed individuals increased by 136 thousand to 1.5 million, while the number of employed advanced by 422 thousand to 60.2 million. The economically active population rose by 558 thousand to 61.6 million, which resulted in a participation rate of 58.6%. Among the unemployed, 10% had not completed secondary education, while 88.9% held higher education. Most were aged 25 to 44 (49.9%), followed by ages 15 to 24 (32.5%). Seasonally adjusted, the unemployment rate edged up to 2.8% from 2.7% in the prior month.

Mexico's unemployment rate rose slightly to 2.6% in February 2026, up from 2.5% a year earlier and matching forecasts. The unemployed totaled 1.6 million, up 76,000 year-over-year. Female unemployment reached 693,000 (up 53,000), while male unemployment stood at 907,000 (up 23,000), with rates of 2.8% and 2.5% respectively. Among the unemployed, 10.3% had not completed secondary education, while 89.6% held higher education. Most were aged 25 to 44 (47.4%), followed by ages 15 to 24 (34.1%). Of the unemployed, 41.5% were jobless for one month or less, and 38.4% for more than one month but up to three months. Underemployment, those seeking more hours or additional jobs, rose to 7.0% from 6.3% a year earlier. Workers in critical employment conditions, with earnings below minimum wage equivalents, edged up to 39.3% from 38.9%. Informal employment remained high at 54.8%, compared to 54.5% in February 2025.

Mexico’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.7% in January 2026, unchanged year-over-year and slightly above forecasts of 2.6%, with 1.7 million unemployed. The rate was identical for men and women, though women saw a 0.2-point annual decline while men rose 0.1 point. Among the unemployed, 12.6% lacked secondary education, while 87.2% had higher education. The largest share (43.7%) was aged 25–44, followed by 15–24 year-olds (32.8%). Half (50.6%) had been jobless for one month or less, 31.1% for 1–3 months.