Updated September 9, 2026
The real working-hours calendar for Mexico
On any given Thursday, someone drops an infographic in the HR group chat saying Mexico already works 40 hours. The infographic is half right. The missing half is the one that moves your budget.
| Year | Weekly hours | Overtime cap |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 48 hours, no change this year | 9 per week |
| 2027 | 46 hours, from January 1 | 9 per week |
| 2028 | 44 hours | 10 per week |
| 2029 | 42 hours | 11 per week |
| 2030 | 40 hours | 12 per week |
Is the working-hours reform already in force?
Yes. It was published in the Diario Oficial, Mexico's federal gazette, on May 1, 2026, and took effect that same day. What took effect was the calendar. The 40-hour week arrives in 2030.
How much overtime can I pay per week in 2027?
Nine hours. Article 66 already says twelve, and the decree's Fourth Transitory Provision lays its own ladder on top: nine per week in 2026 and 2027, ten in 2028, eleven in 2029, and twelve in 2030. If your operation has peaks, that number squeezes you before the working week does.
What else starts on January 1, 2027?
Electronic time tracking per person, with clock-in and clock-out. The fine runs from 250 to 5,000 UMA (Mexico's inflation-indexed fine unit) and is calculated per affected worker, not per company. The detailed rules from the labor ministry, the STPS, have not been published yet.
Does the reform require two days off?
No. Article 69 is unchanged: one day of rest at full pay for every six worked. It was an explicit point of contention in the legislative debate.
Can I cut pay if the hours go down?
No. The Seventh Transitory Provision prohibits it outright. What goes up is your cost per hour.
Four more claims going around that the text does not support
- “The 30-day year-end bonus has been approved.” Article 87 still says fifteen days, in wording from 1975.
- “There is now a law on artificial intelligence in HR.” There is a bill in the Senate, with no committee report.
- “Salary ranges have to be published in job postings.” It has cleared committee and is pending a floor vote.
- “The Ley Silla, the seating law, does not apply yet.” It has applied since June 2025, and the deadline to update your internal work rules expired in December of that year.
How do I check this myself?
Open the current text of the Ley Federal del Trabajo, Mexico's federal labor law, on the Chamber of Deputies site and look up the article. Under each one is the date it was last amended. If that date is older than the article you are reading, the article is wrong.
Those are the dates. What does not fit on one page is what has to exist in writing in your department before each of them, and which other seven rules already require you to document something.
Download the full guide