Mexico has recently approved a legislative bill aimed at gradually reducing the standard weekly working hours from 48 to 40. This reform is scheduled to be implemented starting next year, with an initial reduction to 46 hours in 2027, followed by further reductions of two hours each year until it reaches the target of 40 hours by 2030. This change is expected to positively impact approximately 13.4 million workers in the country.

Currently, Mexico has one of the highest annual working hours per person in the world, amounting to over 2,226 hours, and ranks poorly in terms of work-life balance within the OECD. The new law aims to improve this imbalance while still allowing for an increase in the weekly overtime hours and maintaining a work schedule of one day off for every six days worked.

By adopting this new labor regulation, Mexico aligns itself with other Latin American countries, such as Chile, Ecuador, and Venezuela, which have also committed to a 40-hour workweek. The majority of countries in the region currently have a standard of 48 hours per week according to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), thus reflecting a significant shift in labor policy in Mexico that may encourage better work-life balance for its workers.