Mexicali added 5,012 new formal jobs during the first two months of 2026, according to data from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). The figures confirm the Baja California capital’s continued role as one of the state’s primary economic engines.
The job creation numbers cover January and February 2026. Baja California as a whole ranked fifth nationally in formal employment growth during the same period, placing the state among Mexico’s top performers in workforce expansion.
Nearly 30,000 Jobs Since 2021
The latest figures bring Mexicali’s total formal job creation since the start of the current municipal administration in October 2021 to 29,040 positions. That cumulative number spans roughly four and a half years of steady gains in the city’s registered workforce.
IMSS tracks formal employment by counting workers enrolled in Mexico’s social security system. These are positions that come with benefits including healthcare, pensions, and housing credits. Informal employment, which accounts for a large share of Mexico’s overall labor market, is not captured in the IMSS data.
Maquiladoras Drive Mexicali’s Economy
Mexicali’s economy relies heavily on its maquiladora sector. The city hosts factories operated by international companies in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and medical device manufacturing. Its location directly across the border from Calexico, California, makes it a key node in cross-border supply chains linking Mexican production with U.S. markets.
The city also has growing sectors in IT, customer service, and agriculture. Mexicali’s agricultural valley, the Valle de Mexicali, is one of the most productive farming regions in northwestern Mexico.
For context, Mexicali’s metropolitan population is roughly 1.1 million. Adding 5,012 formal positions in two months represents a meaningful pace of job creation for a city of that size, particularly given ongoing uncertainty around U.S. tariff policy and its potential effects on cross-border manufacturing.
The employment data was first reported by California Medios and Pregonero Baja, citing IMSS records.