What are the immigration requirements for foreigners and business travelers?
What are the main risks to the organization or talent of not complying with immigration regulations?
Derived from the results of the 2025 KPMG Global Mobility Benchmarking Report, it could be stated that immigration compliance plays a strategic role as it sits at the core of global talent mobility and business continuity[1].
[1] 2025 KPMG Global Mobility Benchmarking Survey. KPMG International, 2025.
In an environment marked by constant economic, geopolitical and regulatory changes, the proper management of visas, work permits and reporting obligations to the authorities not only mitigates legal, financial and operational risks, but also protects corporate reputation and the overall assignee experience. Moreover, the document shows that a robust immigration compliance framework—supported by reliable data, technology (including artificial intelligence) and clear, flexible mobility policies—enables organizations to align mobility with business objectives, demonstrate return on investment, and respond with agility to talent shortages and new cross‑border working models.
When considering attracting foreign talent, it is essential to identify if their countries of origin have any restrictions to work in Mexico. For example, nationalities such as China, India, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, among others, require a visa to enter to Mexico, including business visits.
Any organization that is planning to hire employees of foreign nationality must fully comply with the following requirements:
- Being registered in the Mexico National Institute of Immigrationn (INM) and comply with its annual update, or intermediate when there are changes in the company during the year
- Identify whether personnel require a work permit or other type of document to enter the country, based on the length of stay in Mexico and their compensation scheme
- Ensure that the talent clearly communicates the activities they will carry out in the country at the migratory entry to avoid being questioned or denied entry into Mexico
- Ensure that the personnel have the necessary documents to apply for the immigration permit, such as: visa (if applicable), offer letter stating activities and compensation, signatures of the legal representative, information about the family and dependents, among others
It is important for organizations to understand that, when they have foreign employees or business visitors, they will have to review different considerations other than immigration, such as corporate tax aspects (for example, permanent establishment) or tax and social security implications for personnel, among others; therefore, it will be key for the areas of Human Resources (HR), Global Mobility, Payroll, Finance, Legal and Tax to work together.
Based on the 2025 KPMG Global Mobility Benchmarking report, companies will seek to transform their processes through the use of artificial intelligence, where for immigration the goal would be to automate document review, reduce errors and processing times, strengthen compliance through early alerts on expirations and regulatory risks, and select the most appropriate immigration route to anticipate cost impacts, while virtual assistants enhance the employee experience by providing clear and timely information[2].
[2] Ídem.
The diversity of talent, including the incorporation of different nationalities, contributes to enriching the work culture and global perspective of companies. In this sense, in order to adequately comply with the obligations and face the challenges that this implies, it is highly beneficial to have a qualified third party that provides them with support in each step of this process.
Nuestros servicios:
KPMG Mexico and its Global Mobility Services area can provide you with advice on the following topics to implement a comprehensive strategy for talent in a situation of mobility and be in compliance with immigration obligations:
— Analysis of the type of migratory permit required
— Registration of the company before the INM and update (proof of registration of employer "CIE")
— Temporary and permanent work permits for employees and their dependents
— Renewal of migratory permits for employees and their dependents
— Change of status from tourist to temporary residents for employees’ dependents
— Temporary resident student permit
— Exit Permits
— Cancellation of permits
— Regularization of migratory status
— Notifications of changes of address, name, nationality, marital status and employer
— Apostille and Legalization of documents
— Obtaining a certificate of non-criminal record
— Naturalization
— Assistance on Immigration audits made by INM
Contact our specialists to analyze the applicable immigration regulations and ensure their compliance, as well as to avoid risks to your business and personnel.
