Work Visas in Mexico
How to get a work permit and which routes actually exist
To work for a Mexican employer you need a temporary resident visa with work permission, which the employer initiates through the immigration institute. Remote workers for foreign clients use the ordinary temporary residency income test instead and need no employer at all.
| Employer route | Employer files for authorisation with INM, then you collect the visa abroad source |
| Remote workers | Ordinary temporary residency on the income test, no work permit needed for foreign clients |
| Temporary residency length | 1 year initially, renewable to a total of 4 |
| Adding work rights later | Possible once resident, through INM |
Working for a Mexican company
The employer must be registered with the immigration institute as an employer of foreigners. It files a request, INM issues an authorisation number, and you take that to a Mexican consulate abroad to collect the visa. You then have thirty days after entering Mexico to exchange it for a resident card at an INM office.
Mexican salaries are low, and this route mainly makes sense for multinational transfers, specialised technical roles, and teaching.
Working remotely, which is what most foreigners do
If your income comes from clients or an employer outside Mexico, you do not need work permission from INM to hold ordinary temporary residency — you qualify on the financial test, not on employment.
Note the tax dimension separately: spending more than half the year in Mexico with your centre of vital interests here generally makes you Mexican tax resident, regardless of where your clients are. Many foreign residents overlook this and it is the most common serious mistake.
Starting a business
Foreigners with temporary or permanent residency may own and run Mexican companies. Setting one up requires a notary, a tax identification number, and registration with the tax authority. Certain sectors remain restricted, and coastal or border land holdings need the fideicomiso trust structure.
Permanent residents have unrestricted work rights and do not need any additional authorisation to be employed or self-employed.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.