Finding a job and working in Mexico
Moving to a foreign country not only involves adapting to a different culture but to a whole new lifestyle. It also means that you will probably have to find a job to earn your living while there. Mexico can offer you what you are looking for with its developed economy and dynamic labor market.
General information
Mexico has the second-largest economy in Latin America, after Brazil. The unemployed population is 2.1 million, representing 3.7% of the EAP. Compared to the study carried out in January 2021, the unemployed population was reduced by 18,000 people, and the unemployment rate (TR) decreased by 1 percentage point. According to the World Bank, in 2020, Mexico's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was USD 1.74 billion. The economy grew by 4.8% in 2021 after experiencing a contraction of 8.2% during 2020. Driven by mobility and increased demand from the US, many of the sectors in the services and manufacturing area recognized a solid performance at the beginning of 2021
Some of Mexico's most important industries are food production, consumer goods, petroleum, and tourism.
The labor market in Mexico
Expatriates in Mexico are likely to be hired in various sectors such as hospitality and catering, financial services, contact centers, large-scale distribution, engineering, and the chemical and automotive industries.
At the present, we recognize that there is a great factor in organizations to attract talent that enhances their productivity.
Recruitment and training costs are very high, and the challenge is to retain them within the companies.
The importance of understanding a trained team that delivers results makes nationality irrelevant.
Mexico also needs to compete with the demands of the international market.
The tourism industry is a sector that has implemented competition between destinations based on the people's education, ability, and enthusiasm.
On some occasions, it is necessary to hire foreign personnel to fill positions that require specialization. However, the service and understanding of a person with cultural values similar to those of the client facilitate understanding and communication. In some instances, it is a decisive factor to return.
For this reason, companies seek to hire the results, that is, trained international personnel who are worth the bureaucracy to carry out due to their nationality.
Moreover, mastery of foreign languages such as English and French can open doors to the teaching field. Many foreign language teaching jobs are available throughout Mexico in grade schools, universities, and private English academies.
The importance of having a trained team that delivers results makes nationality irrelevant. Mexico also needs to compete with the demands of the international market.
The tourism industry is a sector that has implemented competition between destinations based on the education, ability, and enthusiasm of the people.
Most people love to travel, and it is an enjoyable experience in which you learn and experience cultural exchanges, as well as new places and people. However, the long period of closure and suspension of activities that used to be carried out has resulted in practically all tourist attractions in the country ending their services to visitors for several months.
Despite this, Mexico has been one of the few countries that have kept borders open since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. This has resulted in remarkable growth for the sector, being one of the industries that contribute the most to gross domestic product. (GDP).
Tourism in Mexico increased by 53% in the second half of 2021 compared to 2020, a year that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to figures from Inegi.
States such as Quintana Roo, Morelos, Querétaro, Tepotzotlán, Oaxaca, and the State of Mexico have been the leading players in tourism services; therefore, if your profession or your interests link you to the tourism industry, you have great opportunities to exploit your skills and get a job. Of course, keep in mind that the competition is prominent, and as we mentioned, said the company must have apparent reasons to offer you an employment contract and not a Mexican.
Both the hotel industry and gastronomy present sectors that merit the hiring of foreigners to carry out their services. A Thai food chef or the position of manager in a multinational branch deserves a contract for their exclusivity and labor competition.
Nowadays, thanks to intellectual advancement and professional qualifications, many people can stand out in the same positions due to independent knowledge or obtaining master's degrees in the area. This can be beneficial for the foreigner who masters specific trends that have not yet arrived in the country's labor market.
Mexico also tops the list of primary producers in the automotive industry. For a decade, the growth of this industry reported an investment of $13.7 billion, one of the most active in Mexico.
The industrial plants are spread throughout the national territory, covering 24 states in a total of 31 factories with advanced technology and qualified employees. It should be noted that although the automotive industry is one of the leading industries that hire foreigners, the level of demand is high. The training programs keep the national personnel in advanced development.
Food production
For the year 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Social Development (SADER) estimates an increase of 0.5% for food production, which indicates a reconstruction of the food and beverage sector. However, for these companies to remain competitive in the current global pandemic, they must have the capacity to face the challenges posed by the established local and global demand scenarios.
The most labor-intensive occupations in the food industry are bread, tortillas, confectionery, and other grain and flour products, support workers for the food, beverage, and tobacco products industry, vendors, dispatchers, and store clerks.
For their promising soils and climates, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa are the states that lead agricultural production.
Working conditions in Mexico
The working conditions are the working days, salaries, vacations and all the monetary benefits that the worker receives for his service. These conditions are considered in contracts, whether individual or collective.
The daily minimum salary for Mexico is 123 pesos a day, and in the northern border region is 185, which is roughly 7 and 10 U.S. dollars, with 2 million 76 thousand Mexican workers earning a minimum wage. However, the minimum salary is even lower in particular job positions if the payment is made under the table.
Mexican workers are entitled to a certain number of vacation days, and it depends on how long they have been working for the company, starting with six days off for the first year. Maternity leave is also mandated by law.
For contingency reasons due to COVID19, the IMSS offers a fast and straightforward digital procedure for registering maternity disability at your home. You do not have to go to the Family Health Unit.
To do this, you must enter your identification data, information, and documents related to your pregnancy and the CLABE interbank account from which you wish to receive disability benefits.
Regardless of the type of job, most workers must sign a contract that typically lasts one year. After the end of that year, the contract may or may not be renewed.
Finding a job in Mexico
There are two ways of finding a job in Mexico: searching online or visiting the company in person. The first one comprises three methods, and you can find your job using different search pages.
Metasearch engine
A job search engine is a platform used to search for job offers, a system to locate information in the most used search engines and store a large number of job offers in the same portal.
General job portals
They are platforms where companies publish their offers directly in the selection panel, and this option has more to do with the database since the workers and companies are the ones who have registered on the page. Generally, these types of portals are the most used, and we recommend that you create a profile in at least 2 of these 5 job portals.
Specialized job portals
Specialized job boards are boards that only post job openings for a specific audience by industry or age. Regardless of your profession, whether you work online or in person, they will provide you with the connection to proceed with your application.
Here at Expat.com we will give you information about the best places to look for work in Mexico, so you know how and where to look. In addition, we will provide you with some tips so you can get the most out of it.
OCCMundial
Founded about 20 years ago, OCC Mundial is among the most used means to search for work online, and job boards continue to be among the most visited by Internet users nationwide. The reason is that they are free, they give you job offers daily and in all fields, adding that they are easy to use.
LinkedIn México
LinkedIn is at the top of the largest employment networks in the world. You will be able to find an internship or a job through the connection between employees and companies that the web provides. It is vital to have a LinkedIn profile since, lately, it has become more of a social-work network that facilitates access to information from professionals. Also, you can join and train in the learning section and certify your skills.
Opcionempleo
This is also an established page in job portals, and it provides a simple interface where you search through your profession, company, or keyword. In addition, you can upload your resume to expose your experience along with your proposal. If you would like to carry out a project or start a company in Mexico, you can apply for vacancies to attract talent.
Indeed
This page offers a different modality. Through a meta-search engine, it gathers the job offers of the various employment portals, which means a wide variety of opportunities in a single page to choose from.
Turijobs
Here is a specific portal. This option allows workers linked to the tourism industry to find the best options and connect with companies on a personalized site.They have various offers for you to fill the positions you request.
Present yourself personally at a company
This second way can be a better option in some regions because it is uncommon for companies in Mexico to answer unsolicited emails.
Before visiting a company, type your CV in Spanish, print it, and place it in a manila folder. Mexican CVs contain more information than the typical CV in the U.S., such as the candidate's date of birth, marital status, and a photo. Consider getting a free CV review at TopCV.
It is also important to dress formally for a job interview, even when simply visiting the company for information. There may be more than one interview during the process, each with a different person within the company.
Getting a job in Mexico
Getting hired in Mexico involves a lot of paperwork. You will need original copies of your birth certificate and all relevant educational degrees and transcripts. Some companies may even ask for transcripts and other documents from your high school, junior high, and elementary schools.
Another common request is that all these original documents have Apostilles, an official certification of authenticity. They are usually easy and inexpensive to get while you are still in your home country. You can find information about the specific process for where you live with a quick Google search.
Of course, as a foreigner, you will also need a temporary resident visa with permission to work. The first step is to receive a job offer, which is necessary for the application. Many companies will offer to help with the application, but if not, the process is reasonably straightforward. Here is more information about visas for Mexico.
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