
Yes, Mexico will make you pay income tax on money you earn in Mexico.
You cannot earn money in Mexico if you are on a visitor visa. You need to have either a temporary visa, permanent visa, or be a citizen. In addition, if you have a temporary or visa, in order to work in Mexico, you will heed to have a work permit. If you are a permanent resident, you do not have to apply for a work permit but you will have to notify immigration and pay taxes.
If you are in Mexico and working remotely for a foreign corporation, you do not have to pay taxes in Mexico, and you don’t need a work permit. Similarly, if you are working on-line and paid in to a foreign account from foreign sources there is no need to pay taxes to the Mexican government.
If you work for a foreign corporation based in Mexico and go to work every day in Mexico, you do have to pay taxes in Mexico. If you are earning your money from Mexico, you have to pay taxes here.
As an example, let’s say that you’re in Mexico working online with a company located in the U.S. or Canada, in which case, you don’t need to pay taxes. But if you’re working online for a company located in Mexico, you need to pay taxes here and you’ll need a work permit.
(Picture: PARROQUIA in San Miguel de Allende, in the Mexican Highlands.)