Expats Working in Mexico

Moving abroad can be stressful. It not only requires a period of adaptation to a different culture but also getting in order all the documentation necessary to get a legal living and working status.

If you are starting from the beginning and plan to look for a job in Mexico, rest assured, that the country has a dynamic job market offering various opportunities.

The local economy

After Brazil, Mexico is the second largest Latin American economy.

According to World Bank data, Mexico’s GDP (gross domestic product) was USD 1.74bn $ in 2020. After a recession of 8.2% due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021, the economy gained 4.8%.

IN 2021, due to the restored import to the USA, sectors like food and consumer goods manufacturing services kept growing.

The local labor market

All the businesses in Mexico are open to hiring expats – from hospitality and tourism to the financial, health, manufacturing, retail, IT and engineering, etc., sectors, foreign citizens are free to apply for the open job positions as long as qualified.

As almost all sectors in Mexico are very well-developed, what the Mexican labor market needs is high-skilled professionals.

The tourism sector is the one that drives the Mexican economy. It represents a highly competitive sector and as such, it requires candidates with very good professional and personal abilities.

An important requirement for anyone who is looking for a job in Mexico is the good command of English and Spanish. Each additional language is a great plus.

Fluency in foreign languages can help those willing to teach them including in primary schools and universities, but also in private academies and professional courses.

Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the labor market as well as on the tourism sector. For several months, many activities were put on hold. Nevertheless, Mexico is one of the few countries to have kept its borders open during these times leading to a remarkable growth in this leading sector which contributes the most to Mexico’s GDP.

Thus, according to Inegi – the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography, the tourism and tourism-related activities in Mexico gained 53% growth in the second half of 2021 compared to a year earlier with the states of Quintana Roo, Morelos, Querétaro, Tepotzotlán, Oaxaca, and the State of Mexico being the leaders of this growth.

Hospitality and gastronomy are some of the promising sectors for qualified foreign job seekers. A Thai chef or a manager coming from a multinational company are the profiles more likely to gain a contract because of the exclusivity of the profiles and the high competitiveness in the sector.

The automotive industry is another sector that is leading the Mexican economy. With research and development, and manufacturing facilities throughout Mexico, this sector is among the most dynamic the sector is constantly looking for qualified personnel – one of the main employers of foreign nationals.

The agriculture sector has a direct impact on the food and beverage production industry. Highly competitive and dependent on the international import. This sector is estimated to grow with 0.5% in 2022.

The beverage and tobacco industries are both offering high-quality local production sold under internationally recognized brand names. Marketing and business development specialists ate always welcome to help gain positions in this extremely competitive field.

Working conditions in Mexico

We turn our glance to the working conditions in Mexico. Employment contracts, fixed working hours and wages, paid days off, maternity and medical leave, the local labor legislation and the collective workers’ contacts are ensuring normal working conditions. The paid leave depends on the years of employment. Usually, during the first days, one can expect to be allowed to a week of leave covered by the employer.

The contract to be sign is usually a temporary, one year contract during which time, employee and employer can cancel without prior notice.

How to look for a job in Mexico?

You can either look for the online announcements with includes:

·       Metasearch engine

This method includes gathering information based on keywords from different websites and search engines.

·       General Job Portals

This method includes a direct search into job posting platforms where those offering jobs are publishing the free positions. The platform can send announcements to the job seekers’ emails according to different criteria set by them.

The most popular job boards in Mexico:

• OCCMundial
• LinkedIn Mexico
• Opcionempleo
• Indeed
• Turijobs

 

How to get hired in Mexico?

If you get hired, prepare for a lot of paperwork. You will need to prove of identity so it’s a good idea to have the birth certificate handy. Of course, you will be asked about your education and qualifications, so keep the diploma and any other certificates that may be of interest with you. Please, note that your documents may be required in Spanish. It’s a good idea to have them translated and signed in front of a notary.

But most important, do not forget to obtain a working visa for Mexico from the embassy.