### 737,000 More People Employed in Mexico Compared to Q2 2023, Reports INEGI
On September 2, 2024, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) released the results of the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE). The data highlights the trends within the Mexican labor market, focusing on the economically active population (EAP), employment, labor informality, underemployment, and unemployment.
Unlike monthly publications, INEGI offered estimates for four sizes of localities at a national level, across 32 states, and in 39 self-representative cities of interest. According to INEGI’s data, during the April-June 2024 quarter, Mexico’s EAP reached 61 million people, an increase of 737,000 from the second quarter of 2023. This represents 60.2% of the population aged 15 and above.
Additionally, INEGI reported that 59.3 million people were employed, 805,000 more compared to the second quarter of 2023. The construction sector saw the most significant growth, with an increase of 313,000 people. Other notable gains were in social services (252,000), transportation, communications, postal services, and storage (154,000), professional, financial, and corporate services (145,000), and commerce (139,000).
Employment in large establishments grew by 549,000 people, in microbusinesses by 267,000, and in small establishments by 222,000. During the second quarter of 2024, the underemployed population stood at 4.4 million, representing 7.4% of the employed population—a decrease from 8.0% in the second quarter of 2023.
The unemployed population for the April-June 2024 period was 1.6 million, with an unemployment rate (UR) of 2.7%, slightly down from 2.8% a year earlier. The highest labor informality rates by state for this quarter were in Oaxaca (80.2%), Guerrero (77.3%), Chiapas (74.8%), and Hidalgo (72.9%). Conversely, the lowest rates were recorded in Coahuila (35.0%), Nuevo León (35.4%), Chihuahua (35.6%), and Baja California (36.5%).
Cities with the highest underemployment rates included Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche (19.7%), Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz (12.7%), León, Guanajuato (11.4%), Tlaxcala (10.6%), Tapachula, Chiapas, and Mexico City (10.1% each). On the other hand, Tijuana, Baja California (1.4%), Toluca, State of Mexico (1.9%), Querétaro (2.0%), Guadalajara, Jalisco (2.1%), and Aguascalientes (2.4%) had the lowest underemployment rates for the same period.
During the second quarter of 2024, with seasonally adjusted series, the national UR was 2.7%, showing no variation from the previous quarter.
“Good morning. According to the National Occupation and Employment Survey #ENOE, in the second quarter of 2024: The Economically Active Population #EAP was 60.9 million people, an increase of 737,000 compared to the second quarter of 2023,” wrote INEGI President Graciela Márquez ColÃn on her X (formerly Twitter) account.
“The #EAP was distributed as follows: 59.3 million #employed individuals. 1.6 million #unemployed individuals. The underemployed population (individuals #employed but needing and available to work more hours) stood at 4.4 million. The employment rate was 97.3%. The unemployment rate was 2.7%. The underemployment rate was 7.4%,” the INEGI President added.
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### Additional Article: Mexico’s Economic Recovery Sees Continued Growth in Employment
According to reports from various sources, Mexico’s economic recovery is gathering momentum, with considerable employment gains observed in several sectors. In line with the data provided by INEGI, other organizations have also noted positive trends in the labor market.
One sector driving this growth is tourism. As travel restrictions ease globally, Mexico has seen an uptick in both domestic and international tourism, leading to job creation in hospitality, transport, and services. Tijuana, for example, has benefited from increased visitor numbers, contributing to its low unemployment and underemployment rates.
Moreover, the construction industry has been pivotal, supported by both government infrastructure projects and private sector investments. New developments in urban areas are creating ample employment opportunities, stabilizing income for many families.
Despite economic challenges, Mexico’s resilient labor market demonstrates the country’s robust response to changing global conditions. By focusing on sector-specific growth and job creation, Mexico continues to make strides in reducing unemployment and improving the quality of life for its citizens.