Economic Uncertainty and Reforms Lead to Reduced Job Expectations
Due to global economic uncertainty, trade policies by Donald Trump, lack of investment certainty from factors like judicial reform, and the effects of ongoing labor reforms, Jalisco’s business sector has significantly lowered its job creation expectations for this year.
Coparmex Adjusts Job Expectations
The Confederation of Mexican Employers’ Organizations (Coparmex) revised its job creation estimate from 45,000 to a mere 20,000 formal jobs for this year. This is the lowest job creation figure since Coparmex began setting annual expectations in 2010, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.
Reasons for Reduced Job Expectations
Raúl Flores López, president of Coparmex Jalisco, stated that there has been a 17% drop in investment intentions within the state. He explained that global uncertainty has stalled foreign investments, while unclear labor, judicial, and electoral reforms in Mexico have negatively affected micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (Mipymes).
“The USMCA, Trump’s policies, and ongoing issues like insecurity have impacted businesses. Additionally, rising operational costs—including tariffs, labor costs, and inflation—have further affected companies due to legislative adjustments (labor reforms),” Flores López detailed.
Job Creation Data in Jalisco
According to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), Jalisco generated 13,287 new formal jobs from January to July 2025 and ranked sixth in the nation for job creation this year.
Impact on Sectors
Coparmex reports that agriculture has been the most affected sector by reduced job opportunities this year, while commerce, services, and transformation industries have remained stable.
Decline in Business Registrations
The aforementioned factors have also affected business registrations, indicating a weakening of the entrepreneurial fabric. Between July 2024 and July 2025, Mexico lost over 30,000 registrations, with Jalisco losing 2,269—mostly microenterprises.
“Since 2021’s post-pandemic rebound with 5,184 registrations, the numbers have declined: 2,400 in 2022, 1,847 in 2023, and only 1,619 in 2024. As of July 24, 2025, Jalisco has lost 843 registered positions,” Flores López clarified.
Coparmex Proposals
Jalisco’s employers’ union has proposed several initiatives to boost job creation in the state. These include promoting local judicial reform and police coordination to ensure legal certainty and the rule of law; strengthening value chains and diversifying markets; advancing economic policy consolidation; supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs; and implementing employability strategies.
Key Questions and Answers
- What led to the reduction in job expectations for Jalisco? Global economic uncertainty, trade policies by Donald Trump, lack of investment certainty from factors like judicial reform, and the effects of ongoing labor reforms.
- How many new jobs does Coparmex now expect to be created in Jalisco this year? Only 20,000 formal jobs.
- Which sectors have been most affected by reduced job opportunities in Jalisco? Agriculture has been the most affected, while commerce, services, and transformation industries have remained stable.
- What is the current trend in business registrations in Jalisco? There has been a decline since 2021, with over 30,000 registrations lost in Mexico and 2,269 lost in Jalisco between July 2024 and July 2025.
- What proposals has Coparmex put forward to boost job creation in Jalisco? Promoting local judicial reform, strengthening value chains, advancing economic policy consolidation, supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs, and implementing employability strategies.
