Key Statistics and Trends
In the first quarter of 2025, more than 55,000 workers across Mexico left their jobs due to pension, retirement, or voluntary departure. This figure marks the highest since 2008, according to Coparmex Nuevo León based on data from Mexico’s National Employment and Occupation Survey (ENOE) by INEGI.
The analysis reveals a 47% increase in workers opting for pension-related departures compared to the same period in 2024. The states with the highest numbers of workers leaving employment for pension-related reasons were:
- Estado de México: 14,200
- Ciudad de México: 11,906
- Nuevo León: 4,212
Nuevo León saw 43,258 workers depart their jobs, a 6.7% increase from the same period last year. Out of this total, 4,212 individuals left for pension, retirement, and voluntary departure—the highest figure since Q4 2005, as per Coparmex Nuevo León.
Aging Population and Its Impact
This trend is directly linked to the aging population. According to ENOE, the 60-year-old and older demographic experienced an average annual growth rate of 4.15% nationwide between Q1 2020 and 2025, rising from 16.7 to 20.4 million people.
In Nuevo León, the annual growth rate was slightly lower at 3.78%, with the population increasing from 806,675 to 868,675 during the same period.
Coparmex’s analysis warns that this growing population of adults aged 60 and over is now reflected in the labor market, with more individuals leaving their jobs for retirement, pension, or voluntary departure. In Q1 2025 alone, 55,091 individuals across Mexico reported leaving their employment for these reasons—a 47% increase from the same period in 2024.
Coparmex Nuevo León’s Perspective
Cecilia Carrillo López, General Director of Coparmex Nuevo León, highlighted that Nuevo León stands out among states with a significant number of individuals eligible to apply for pensions, driven by the social responsibility sense within the employer sector.
Carrillo López suggested that economic uncertainty, inflation, or labor precarization might have accelerated the decision to pensionize. She emphasized that it’s not always a planned retirement but a strategy for personal financial protection amidst the country’s economic situation.
She cautioned that if this upward trend persists, it will put pressure on social security systems and necessitate public policies balancing new formal workers’ entry against current retirees’ departure. It also presents an opportunity for companies to review their retirement policies, social security programs, and voluntary savings schemes.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main reason for the increase in workers leaving their jobs? The primary factor is the aging population, with more individuals opting for pension-related departures due to retirement, planned or otherwise.
- Which states have the highest numbers of workers leaving employment for pension-related reasons? Estado de México, Ciudad de México, and Nuevo León have the most workers leaving jobs for pension-related reasons.
- What does Coparmex Nuevo León suggest about the reasons behind this trend? Economic uncertainty, inflation, or labor precarization might have accelerated the decision to pensionize.
- What are the potential implications of this trend? It could put pressure on social security systems and necessitate public policies balancing new formal workers’ entry against current retirees’ departure.
