Employment under Mexico’s IMMEX manufacturing and export program fell year over year in October 2025, even as export revenues continued to rise, according to figures shared by Aram Hodoyán, vice president of the Tijuana Economic Development Council (CDT).
Citing data from the Metropolitan Center for Economic and Business Information (CEMDI) based on the latest update from Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI, Hodoyán said the IMMEX program employed 2.84 million people nationwide in October. That represents a 3.16% decline compared with the same month in 2024.
Most workers under the program remain directly employed by manufacturing and export companies. Nationally, 98.75% of IMMEX workers were hired directly, while just 1.25% were subcontracted.
By state, Nuevo León led the country in IMMEX employment with 396,211 workers, followed by Chihuahua with 374,219 and Baja California in third place with 349,314.
In Baja California, direct hiring rates were even higher, with 99.47% of workers employed directly by companies participating in the program. Only 0.53% were subcontracted.
While IMMEX employment in the state grew by 1,170 workers compared to September, the year-over-year trend remains negative. Baja California recorded an annual decline of 2.30%, or 8,211 fewer workers than in October 2024.
The number of IMMEX-certified establishments nationwide edged down 0.10% from the previous month, reaching a total of 5,225 facilities across Mexico.
Baja California continues to lead the country in the number of IMMEX manufacturing companies, with 915 establishments, accounting for 17.5% of the national total. Nuevo León ranked second with 737 companies, followed by Chihuahua with 496.
Despite softer employment figures, export revenues under the IMMEX program showed growth. National export income reached 415.25 billion pesos in October, up 4.48% compared with the same month last year.
Coahuila generated the largest share of export income at 18.36% of the national total, followed by Nuevo León with 14.81% and Guanajuato with 9.55%. Baja California ranked fourth, contributing 8.07%.
At the municipal level, Tijuana remains the leading IMMEX hub, with 592 active establishments, though that figure represents a 1.5% decline from a year earlier. Ciudad Juárez followed with 332 establishments, while Apodaca ranked third with 225.
In terms of employment by city, Ciudad Juárez led with 259,920 workers under the IMMEX program. Tijuana followed with 230,223, though the city posted a 4.35% annual decline in employment. Reynosa ranked third with 121,156 workers.
Overall, the data suggest that Baja California maintains a strong and highly formal industrial base, anchored by a large number of manufacturing and export facilities. However, year-over-year job losses, modest export share growth, and a slight contraction in Tijuana’s industrial footprint point to ongoing challenges for the sector, including the need to strengthen competitiveness and productivity.
