Mexico to Gradually Reduce Workweek to 40 Hours by 2030
Mexico is moving forward with a plan to gradually reduce the standard workweek from 48 to 40 hours, a change expected to benefit over 13.4 million workers. The initiative, announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum, will be implemented incrementally, with the first reductions taking effect in January 2027.
Labor Minister Marath Bolaños outlined the proposal, which calls for a two-hour reduction in the workweek each year. According to the plan, Mexico’s standard workweek will be:
- 46 hours in 2027
- 44 hours in 2028
- 42 hours in 2029
- 40 hours in 2030
The proposed reform requires changes to both the Mexican Constitution and the Federal Labor Law. While constitutional changes typically require a two-thirds majority in Congress, officials anticipate sufficient support given the ruling Morena party’s dominance in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
The government has emphasized that the transition will be managed to minimize disruption for businesses. President Sheinbaum stated that the phased approach will allow companies to prepare for the new requirements during 2026. “It does not imply higher costs for the business sector and is an agreement reached by consensus,” she reportedly said during a press conference.
Discussions leading to the proposal involved employers, unions, and workers across 40 roundtables convened by the Ministry of Labor. The reform aims to address the historically long working hours prevalent in Mexico’s labor market, where many employees currently work over 56 hours per week without penalties for employers, despite a legal maximum of 48 hours.
Crucially, the plan does not include a shift to a four-day workweek. A draft bill circulating in the Senate clarifies that the reduction will occur within the existing five-day workweek structure, with adjustments made to daily hours rather than the number of workdays.
The reduction in hours will be compensated for through overtime pay. According to details of the proposal, hours reduced from the current 48-hour workweek will be recognized and paid as overtime. This mechanism is intended to balance improved working conditions with the protection of workers’ salaries.
Currently, Mexican employees are permitted up to nine hours of overtime per week, paid at double wages, with any additional overtime compensated at triple wages. The specifics of how these overtime rules will interact with the reduced workweek are still being finalized as the bill moves through the legislative process.
The government expects the bill to be submitted to Congress during the current legislative session, which began on September 1, 2025. If approved, the changes are expected to come into force on May 1, 2026, with the first reduction in maximum working hours taking effect in January 2027. The full transition to a 40-hour workweek is slated for January 2030, coinciding with the end of President Sheinbaum’s six-year term.
Alongside the workweek reduction, Mexico has also agreed to a 13% increase in the minimum wage for 2026.
