Mexico’s National Immigration Institute (INM) has hired 81 temporary agents across four airports in Baja California Sur to handle the expected surge in international arrivals during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. INM regional chief Manuel Salvador Cordero Esparza announced the staffing boost, with contracts running from April 15 through December 31, 2026.
The new personnel have been distributed among airports in Loreto, La Paz, San José del Cabo, and Cabo San Lucas. All 81 agents are already on the job after completing a national security-sector vetting process required for immigration positions.
World Cup Airports Despite No Local Matches
BCS airports are among 17 facilities designated as official “World Cup airports” nationwide, even though none of the tournament’s three Mexican host cities are in the state. Mexico’s World Cup matches will take place in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City, with the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa set for Mexico City on June 11.
The designation recognizes that Los Cabos and La Paz serve as major entry points for international travelers, many of whom may combine tournament attendance with beach vacations in Baja California Sur. The state has more than 500 hotels and roughly 29,000 rooms, concentrated primarily in Los Cabos and La Paz, according to POSTA México.
Why BCS Expects a Visitor Spike
Tourism officials in Baja California Sur have been coordinating with state authorities to strengthen hotel capacity and air connectivity ahead of the tournament. Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), the state’s busiest, already handles millions of passengers annually, with a large share arriving from the United States and Canada.
The 81 new immigration agents represent a meaningful increase in staffing at passport control booths. For travelers arriving at SJD or La Paz’s Manuel Márquez de León International Airport, the goal is faster processing through immigration lines during peak travel periods from June through July, when World Cup group-stage and knockout-round matches are scheduled.
The temporary contracts extend well beyond the tournament itself, running through the end of 2026. That timeline covers the busy fall and winter tourist seasons in Los Cabos, when snowbird arrivals from the U.S. and Canada typically push passenger volumes to their highest levels.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.