IMSS: How many weeks do you contribute per year and how many do you need to retire?

One of the main conditions for accessing a pension from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) is to meet a minimum number of weeks of contributions, which varies depending on the law under which you are registered: the 1973 Law or the 1997 Law. Therefore, it is essential to know your situation in order to adequately plan your retirement .

Generally speaking, if you work continuously for a year, you accumulate 52 weeks of contributions , since each week of work is equivalent to one week recognized by the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute). However, the number of weeks required to retire varies depending on the applicable law. For example, those who contribute under the 1973 Law need at least 500 weeks, while the 1997 Law requires 850 weeks in 2025, and this number will increase to 1,000 in 2031.

To find out how many weeks you've accumulated, the IMSS offers the option of downloading the Certificate of Contributed Weeks directly from its website . You only need to enter your CURP (Tax Identification Number), Social Security Number (NSS), and a current email address. This document is key to tracking your progress and determining if you're close to meeting the requirements for retirement.

There are also significant differences in how pensions are calculated under each system . Under the 1973 Law, the amount is determined based on the average salary of the last five years worked, and it is possible to increase the pension using Modality 40. On the other hand, those covered by the 1997 Law depend on the accumulated savings in their Afore (Afore), although the Pension Fund for Welfare was created in 2024 as additional support for those with insufficient funds.

If you haven't yet met the required number of weeks, you can continue working and contributing to get closer to the established minimum. It's also a good idea to periodically review your situation on the IMSS website and consider alternatives such as Modality 40 to maximize your pension benefits in the future.