Jalisco Records 81% Rise in New Foreign Investment Amid Shift to High-Tech Manufacturing
Guadalajara, Tuesday, 23 December 2025.
Jalisco is demonstrating remarkable economic resilience, reporting an 81 percent surge in new foreign direct investment (FDI) for 2025. This growth is driven by a strategic pivot toward nearshoring, with capital aggressively flowing into high-value sectors like semiconductors and automotive manufacturing rather than traditional textiles. The most striking indicator of this trend is a massive 400 percent investment spike in the previous quarter alone, solidifying the state’s role as a critical hub in the North American supply chain.
Structural Shifts in Capital Allocation
The influx of capital into Jalisco is characterized by a distinct divergence in industrial focus. While traditional sectors such as textiles and footwear are experiencing a deceleration, investment is aggressively pivoting toward high-value-added industries, including semiconductors, data centers, and automotive parts [2]. This transition is reflected in the state’s financial metrics; although overall Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) contracted by 15.8 percent in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year, the specific category of new investments defied this trend, registering an 81 percent growth rate throughout the year [1][2]. State officials project that total FDI inflows will reach between US$1.2 billion and US$1.5 billion by the end of 2025, with the United States remaining the leading source of this capital [1].
Infrastructure Modernization and Mobility
To support this industrial expansion and the upcoming demands of the 2026 World Cup, Jalisco is accelerating its infrastructure development. In December 2025, the state began integrating a new fleet of electric buses into the “Mi Transporte Tren Ligero” system [1]. This initiative involves a total of 53 units manufactured at Volvo’s Tultitlan plant [1]. The initial deployment includes 12 low-floor Luminus units, which are entering service immediately [1]. The rollout is scheduled to conclude in May 2026 with the deployment of 31 high-floor units and 10 articulated Volvo 7800 Electric buses on Line 5, which will connect the Guadalajara International Airport with the city center [1].
Resource Exploration and Labor Market Evolution
Beyond manufacturing and logistics, the extractive sector is also contributing to the state’s economic activity. Silver Spruce Resources recently received environmental approval for its “Informe Preventivo,” authorizing 47 drill sites at the Cocula Gold project [3]. This development allows for the evaluation of high-grade samples, including some testing at 23.7 grams per ton of gold, further diversifying the region’s investment portfolio [3]. Consequently, the labor market is undergoing a parallel transformation. As industries modernize, there is a marked increase in demand for specialized profiles in engineering, automation, and advanced logistics, replacing the labor structures of declining traditional manufacturing sectors [2].