What's Happening with IMMEX Employment in Jalisco?

Amidst a national environment characterized by industrial deceleration, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography reported that the IMMEX program —crucial for export manufacturing— began 2026 with mixed signals that also impact Jalisco, one of the country’s primary industrial hubs. While national employed personnel remained unchanged month-over-month in January, the decline in hours worked and remunerations reflects an operational adjustment that could anticipate a cooling in productive activity.

IMMEX Kicks Off 2026 with Operational Adjustments in Jalisco

According to the latest INEGI bulletin, the IMMEX sector showed employment stability during January 2026, with a monthly variation of 0.0%. However, other key indicators reveal a slowdown:

Hours worked registered a monthly drop of -0.6%.
Real average remunerations decreased -1.8% compared to December 2025.
On an annual basis, employed personnel receded by -2.4%, reflecting a more restrictive environment for industrial job creation. This behavior occurs in a context where export manufacturing faces reduced global dynamism, supply chain adjustments, and pressure on labor costs.

Jalisco: Structural Resilience Amidst the National Landscape

Despite the national adjustment, Jalisco maintains a strategic position within the IMMEX ecosystem. The state accounts for approximately 6.5% of the country’s IMMEX establishments, positioning itself among the leading industrial entities, alongside Nuevo León, Chihuahua, and Baja California. More significantly, its recent performance shows greater resilience:

IMMEX employment in

grew by nearly 2.97% annually by the end of 2025.

Sector revenues increased by up to 37.6% annually, primarily driven by technology exports.
The state surpasses 230,000 jobs linked to the program, solidifying its role as a non-border manufacturing hub. This contrast suggests that, although the economic cycle is beginning to moderate, Jalisco is still capitalizing on recent investments and the momentum of nearshoring.

Electronics Industry: Jalisco’s Competitive Shield

Jalisco’s differential performance compared to the national average is largely explained by its productive specialization. The entity has consolidated its leadership in electronic and technological manufacturing, a segment with greater resilience against traditional economic cycles. This sector not only drives exports but also attracts foreign direct investment, particularly from companies originating in the United States and Europe. In fact, the growth of new investments in 2025 *—exceeding 400% in some records— *has allowed economic activity to be sustained even in a more volatile global environment.

Warning Signs: Productivity and Purchasing Power

Beyond structural performance, IMMEX data reveal a significant phenomenon: the adjustment is not occurring through mass layoffs, but rather through operational variables. The reduction in hours worked and real remunerations points to:

Lower productive intensity in industrial plants.
Adjustments in shifts or workdays.
Cost pressures limiting real wage increases. This implies that, although employment remains relatively stable, income quality and productivity could be affected in the short term.

The Challenge for 2026: Sustaining Growth in an Adverse Global Environment

Jalisco’s performance in the IMMEX program during 2026 will depend on its ability to sustain three key factors:

Attraction of high value-added foreign investment.
Diversification of export markets.
Strengthening of specialized human capital. In a context where the global manufacturing sector is beginning to decelerate, the state faces the challenge of transforming its recent growth into a long-term structural advantage.

This entry first appeared in Líder Empresarial.