Are Latinos less hardworking than us?
- LatamSinFiltro
- Jul 3
- 9 min read
There are many stereotypes about Latinos, like the one that says that “Latinos are lazy.” In the United States, faced with the mass arrests and deportations of undocumented migrants (mainly Latin Americans) carried out by the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) several protests were held in Los Angeles to denounce, on the one hand, the unjustified deportations of working immigrants, on the other hand, the far-right rhetoric that too often compares Latin American migrants to drug traffickers or criminals. Within days, the demonstrations had spread across the country.
To address this stereotype, let’s first analyze working conditions in Latin America, and then see the contribution of Latin American migrants to the U.S. economy. As always, all data and information are based on what I found in academic literature and reports from international organizations and governments. I invite you to consult the bibliography at the end of this article if you want further information.
The labor market in Latin America: low productivity, long working hours and informality
PRODUCTIVITY
First of all, some definitions to understand what we are talking about when we use the term “productivity”:
Total Factor Productivity: The quantity of goods or services produced is divided by all the factors of production used: labor, capital, land, and digital innovation/technology. Productivity is a concept that measures a country's ability to produce and generate income with all the factors (resources) used. The goal is to do more with less: produce more goods/services with less capital, fewer working hours, fewer employees, etc.
Productivity can also be measured per hour worked: it is calculated by dividing the quantity of goods or services produced by the number of hours worked or by the number of people employed. This is the labor productivity (output per hour).
In 2022, the average labor productivity in Latin America was $22.1 per hour worked.[4] In comparison, in OECD countries, average labor productivity was three times higher, reaching $66.7 per hour worked. No Latin American economy has recorded similar or higher labor productivity.
Below are three graphs comparing total factor productivity, labor productivity and the workforce productivity of Latin American countries with those of the OECD:
Total factor productivity growth, 2000-2022
Workforce productivity, 2022 (international dollars)
Labor productivity, 2022 (international dollars)
All three charts show that the productivity of Latin American countries is well below that of OECD countries. The report also shows that between 2000 and 2022, the region's productivity barely improved.
Is this low Latin American productivity the result of short working hours?
The answer is obviously no, quite the opposite. Let's now see how many hours per week Latinos work.
The working day in latin america
According to a report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2022[1], between 2005 and 2016, few countries in the region reduced the working day of private sector employees. Ecuador reduced the work week from 44 to 40 hours in 1980. At the beginning of the 21st century, Chile reduced the work week from 48 to 45 hours. The most recent change took place in Colombia, which decided in 2021 to reduce the work week from 48 to 42 hours. This reduction has been implemented gradually, the 42-hour week will come into effect in 2026.
When it comes to self-employed workers, such as farmers, artisans, or to people having an informal job, the number of hours worked depends on the activity carried out and the income it generates. Low-income activities, such as those related to agriculture, entail long workdays. In Colombia, farmers often work up to 70 hours per week.
The report indicates that, on average, working hours in Latin America decreased by 1.4 hours between 2005 and 2016. The ILO emphasizes that this reduction does not necessarily represent a long-term change, but rather an adaptation to the economic context and international demand. In 2016, more than 50% of Latin American workers worked between 35 and 48 hours per week.
Another document published by the ILO in 2023 compares the working day, the maximum weekly working hours and the number of paid annual leave of Latin American countries with those of the OECD countries.
Legal working hours
Maximum weekly working hours
Paid Leave
In most OECD countries, employees work 40 hours per week, while in Latin American countries they work between 41 and 48 hours per week. Furthermore, in many countries of the region, the maximum weekly working hours are 60 hours or more, while in most OECD countries it is 48 hours. Finally, workers in OECD countries receive twice as much annual paid leave as Latin American workers. Informality remains persistent in Latin America, with an informality rate of 47.6% in 2024.[2], meaning that a significant part of Latin American workers do not have access to paid leave.
Finally, at least 8 Latin American countries exceed the world average of 43.9 hours worked per week [3]:
Colombia: 46.6 hours
Guatemala: 45.3 hours
Mexico: 45.2 hours
Honduras: 44.9 hours
El Salvador: 44.8 hours
Peru: 44.7 hours
Costa Rica: 44.5 hours
Well, with that said, from now on, if you hear someone say that Latinos are lazy, just show them this article!
JOB QUALITY
A report published by the World Bank in October 2024[5] studied the quality of employment in the region through the creation of its own Job Quality Index (JQI). This index is based on four elements:
Benefits: Evaluate access to health insurance or retirement pension.
Income: Assesses whether wages exceed the poverty line of USD 6.85 per day.
Satisfaction: Assesses workers' satisfaction with their jobs, assuming lower satisfaction for those working multiple jobs.
Security: Assesses job stability, including contract status and length.
The higher the ECI, the better the job quality is. Feel free to consult the World Bank report and take a closer look at the methodology used.
Job Quality Index (JQI) in Latin America and the Caribbean
The World Bank reports that the ECI has stagnated in most Latin American countries since 2016. Only Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico have experimented modest improvements. It also shows that between 2016 and 2023, job quality deteriorated or remained unchanged in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay.
An article published in 2023 by researchers at the University of Buenos Aires[6] analyzed the quality of employment in Latin America based on data collected from various national surveys conducted in the countries of the region and the number of social security affiliates. The article compares income levels and access to social security in different Latin American countries based on the company’s size and the level of qualification of its workers.
The results show that the results are quite different for each country. However, they were able to observe that the larger the company and the higher the qualification level of its employees, the higher the income level.
The rate of access to social security is low in all countries in the region. The larger the company and the higher the level of qualification, the higher the rate.
Finally, the self-employed are mainly low-skilled workers who earn less than equally skilled but salaried workers.
PARTICIPATION OF LATINOS IN THE U.S ECONOMY
Now back to the United States. Latin American migrants, particularly Mexicans, contribute to the American economy.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF LATINOS
Latin American immigrants made up 8% of the U.S. workforce in 2009. 1 in 12 workers was a Latin American migrant. In 2010, Latin American workers contributed 7% to the United States' GDP.[7]
Between 2000 and 2007, ethnic minorities and immigrants were the largest contributors to U.S. economic growth, accounting for nearly 52% of GDP growth. Among these minorities, Latinos, accounting for nearly 17% of this growth, are the largest contributors to U.S. economic growth.
In 2022, nearly 2 in 3 Hispanic Americans (66.3%) were either working or actively looking for a job. [8] This participation rate is more than 5 percentage points higher than that of the U.S.-born whites. Nearly 5 million Latino-owned businesses contribute more than $800 billion to the U.S. economy each year. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses increased by 14% between 2012 and 2017.
However, their productivity is lower than that of natives, with most of them working in less productive sectors or having low-skilled jobs. This does not mean that no migrant is unable to access high-skilled jobs; it simply means that the majority of Latino migrants have low-skilled jobs.
While it's true that Latino migrants contribute less to the U.S. economy than U.S.-born whites (which makes sense, right?), their contribution has increased over time as immigration to the U.S. continues to rise.
There is wage discrimination between natives and Latin American immigrants. They tend to work more for less.
Finally, the role of Latin American women should be highlighted. In 2021, Latinas generated $1.3 billion, exceeding the GDP of states like Florida.[9] In fact, only California, Texas, and New York had higher GDPs. Between 2010 and 2021, Latinas' economic contribution increased by 51.1%, and Hispanic women's real GDP increased 1.2 times more than Hispanic men's and 2.7 times more than non-Hispanic men's.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF MEXICANS
Mexicans represent 60% of Latin American workers in the United States and represent the ethnic group that generates the largest share of U.S. GDP. However, Mexicans register the lowest productivity levels compared to South Americans or Caribbeans.
According to Mexican government data[10] and as President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said at a press conference, only 20% of the income generated by Mexicans in the United States is sent to Mexico through remittances. The government points out that:
In 2024, Mexicans born in the United States contributed $781 billion to the U.S. GDP.
In 2022, undocumented Mexican immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in taxes.
Mexican immigrants supplement the American workforce in essential sectors. They represent:
5% of workers in the dairy and meat industries
20% of manufacturing workers and farmers
15% of workers in the education and health sectors
28% of health assistants
25% of construction workers
Conclusion
In conclusion, stereotypes are all too often just stereotypes…Latinos are not lazy and do not work less than people in the West; quite the opposite and it is mainly a problem of productivity. Generalities and stereotypes can be dangerous when spread by important figures, such as government officials. We must learn to identify this type of misinformation. In the United States, the majority of Latin American immigrants are workers and participate in American society. Unfortunately, there are also drug traffickers and criminals, but we must not put them all in the same basket.
[1] Andrés Marinakis, “Situación y perspectivas de la jornada de trabajo en América Latina”, Organizacion Internacional del Trabajo (OIT), 2022 https://chile.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/wcms_837571.pdf
[2] “Avances en el empleo en América Latina y el Caribe son insuficientes | International Labour Organization”, el 6 de febrero de 2025, https://www.ilo.org/es/resource/news/panorama-laboral-2024-america-latina-caribe-empleo-brechas-informe.
[3] “Trabajo y productividad en la región más desigual del mundo: América Latina – ISEPCI”, consultado el 22 de junio de 2025, https://isepci.org.ar/trabajo-y-productividad-en-la-region-mas-desigual-del-mundo-america-latina/.
[4] Impulsando la productividad en América Latina. Lima: OIT / Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe, Oficina de Actividades para los Empleadores (ACT/EMP), 2023. 90 pp. https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_dialogue/@act_emp/documents/publication/wcms_906015.pdf
[5] “Tendencias recientes de pobreza y desigualdad América Latina y el Caribe Octubre 2024” World Bank Group, 2024, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099101724185031291/pdf/P50609514d5e250b919807109289007e31d.pdf
[6] Fernández-Franco, Sebastián, et al. "Calidad del empleo y estructura del mercado de trabajo en América Latina desde una perspectiva comparada." Ensayos de economía 32.61 (2022): 124-151. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S2619-65732022000200124&script=sci_arttext#fn15
[7] “Contribución de Los Migrantes Latinoamericanos al PIB de Los Estados Unidos de América”, ResearchGate, consultado el 22 de junio de 2025, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2729.7046.
[8] United States Joint Economic Committee, “Fast Facts about the Economic Status of Hispanic Americans - Fast Facts about the Economic Status of Hispanic Americans - United States Joint Economic Committee”, consultado el 22 de junio de 2025, https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2022/9/fast-facts-about-the-economic-status-of-hispanic-americans.
[9] Matthew Fienup, “Dando Vida a La Economía – Latinas Give Life to the U.S. Economy”, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (blog), el 28 de agosto de 2024, https://www.clucerf.org/2024/08/28/dando-vida-la-economia-latinas-give-life-u-s-economy/.
[10] Presidencia de la República, “Las y los migrantes contribuyen a la economía de Estados Unidos: Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum; en 2024 aportaron al PIB de EUA 781 mil mdd”, gob.mx, consultado el 22 de junio de 2025, http://www.gob.mx/presidencia/prensa/las-y-los-migrantes-contribuyen-a-la-economia-de-estados-unidos-presidenta-claudia-sheinbaum-en-2024-aportaron-al-pib-781-mil-mdd?idiom=es.
Bibliography:
“Avances en el empleo en América Latina y el Caribe son insuficientes | International Labour Organization,” February 6, 2025. https://www.ilo.org/es/resource/news/panorama-laboral-2024-america-latina-caribe-empleo-brechas-informe.
Committee, United States Joint Economic. “Fast Facts about the Economic Status of Hispanic Americans - Fast Facts about the Economic Status of Hispanic Americans - United States Joint Economic Committee.” Accessed June 22, 2025.
Fienup, Matthew. “Dando Vida a La Economía – Latinas Give Life to the U.S. Economy.” Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (blog), August 28, 2024. https://www.clucerf.org/2024/08/28/dando-vida-la-economia-latinas-give-life-u-s-economy/.
República, Presidencia de la. “Las y los migrantes contribuyen a la economía de Estados Unidos: Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum; en 2024 aportaron al PIB de EUA 781 mil mdd.” gob.mx. Accessed June 22, 2025. http://www.gob.mx/presidencia/prensa/las-y-los-migrantes-contribuyen-a-la-economia-de-estados-unidos-presidenta-claudia-sheinbaum-en-2024-aportaron-al-pib-781-mil-mdd?idiom=es.
ResearchGate. “(PDF) Contribución de Los Migrantes Latinoamericanos al PIB de Los Estados Unidos de América.” Accessed June 22, 2025. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2729.7046.
“Trabajo y productividad en la región más desigual del mundo: América Latina – ISEPCI.” Accessed June 22, 2025. https://isepci.org.ar/trabajo-y-productividad-en-la-region-mas-desigual-del-mundo-america-latina/.
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