The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reported on August 10 that formal employment shed 19,550 positions in July 2026, the steepest July decline in the institute's records, which date to 1998. The figure translates to a monthly rate of negative 0.1%.

The data arrives after the close of the 2026 World Cup and a June that recovered jobs on the back of digital-platform services demand. Regional analysis by Expansión shows that the slowdown is uneven: Baja California grew 7% year-on-year, Oaxaca 5.8%, and Campeche registered the sharpest contraction at 7.3%. The IMSS itself attributed the result to seasonality tied to the end of the school cycle and the downward phase of the agricultural cycle. Over the past 12 months, the country added 326,987 positions, a 1.5% annual gain. The July figure measures net formal jobs, a series distinct from the employer count the institute also publishes.

Alberto Alesi, ManpowerGroup's director for Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, stated: "Platform workers' enrollment has become a significant factor in formal employment figures." According to Bloomberg Línea, traditional positions fell by 29,823 in July while platform jobs added 10,273, leaving the net loss at 19,550. One year after the reform that brought platform workers into the IMSS, those positions grew from 132,841 to 247,900 over 12 months, an increase of 86.6%. By sector, transportation and communications grew 7.5% year-on-year and the extractive industry 4.3%, while manufacturing contracted 0.7% and the agricultural sector fell 5.6%. The average daily wage for platform workers stands at 415.6 pesos, the IMSS reported.

The trajectory signals a cautious second half of the year: ManpowerGroup estimates the year will close with between 150,000 and 250,000 formal jobs created, and only 45% of employers plan to hire in the third quarter. The August report, which the institute will publish in September, will show whether the moderation deepens or whether northern states sustain the pace.

This article was drafted with artificial intelligence assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.