Working in Mexico: Work Visas, Remote Work and Permits (2026)

Mexico ties the right to work to your immigration status:

• Visitors (tourists) cannot do paid work in Mexico.
• Temporary residents can work only if their card includes permission to work, or if they get a work permit for residents later.
• Permanent residents can work for any employer, or for themselves, without extra permission.

The standard route for a new hire has three steps:

1. The employer applies in Mexico. A company registered with INM (it holds a constancia de inscripción del empleador) files your job offer and asks INM to authorize a work visa.
2. You apply at a consulate. After INM approves, you attend your appointment at a Mexican consulate, which issues a temporary resident visa.
3. You enter and get your card. Within 30 days of arriving, you complete the canje at INM for your residence card, which shows your permission to work.

Mexico has no annual quota or lottery for work visas. Approval depends on the employer's registration, the job offer, and your documents. Processing times depend on the INM office and the consulate, so employers should file the job offer well before your planned start date.

Mexico does not have a digital nomad visa. What most remote workers do:

• Short stays: visit as a tourist for up to 180 days (the officer decides the number of days) and keep working for your employer abroad. Mexico has not created a formal remote work status for tourists, so avoid clients or employers in Mexico.
• Longer stays: apply for temporary residency by financial solvency. For 2026 you need monthly income of more than 680 UMA days (about 79,771 pesos) for 6 months, or an average balance of 11,460 UMA days (about 1,344,373 pesos) for 12 months. Check with the solvency calculator.

A solvency-based residence card does not by itself let you work for a Mexican employer. Staying in Mexico long term can also make you a Mexican tax resident; read remote work rules and taxes for residents.

Mexican companies that hire foreigners must register with INM, keep that registration up to date, and file each job offer with INM. They must also register the worker with Mexico's tax authority (SAT) and, for employees, with the social security institute (IMSS). Employers can read our guide to hiring foreign workers in Mexico.

Some professions are regulated. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, and others may need their foreign degree recognized and a Mexican professional license (cédula profesional) before they can practice.

Foreign employees in Mexico are covered by the same Federal Labor Law as Mexicans. Key points:

Salaries for professional jobs are usually far above the minimum wage, but often lower than in the US or Canada. Compare costs in the cost of living guide.

• Minimum wage rose 13% in the general zone and 5% in the northern border zone on January 1, 2026.
• Solvency thresholds for remote workers and other non-employment residency rose with the 2026 UMA (117.31 pesos a day from February 1, 2026). See 2026 solvency thresholds.
• Visa rules for some nationalities changed; check visa requirement changes if you need a visa just to visit.

Track updates on the Mexico Status Now page.

Once you have your residence card:

1. Get your CURP, Mexico's personal ID number.
2. Get an RFC tax ID so your employer can pay you.
3. Open a bank account.
4. Enroll in IMSS health insurance through your employer.
5. Notify INM of changes to your employer, address, or marital status within the deadlines on your card.

Renew your card on time; see residency renewal. After 4 years as a temporary resident you can apply for permanent residency.

Your family. Your spouse, children, and in some cases parents can apply for residency through family unity based on your status. They need their own permission from INM before they take a job in Mexico.