Informal Economy

Authorities inspecting 70 Chinese-owned shops in central Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela found that 68–70% lack proper municipal permits, tax registration, or legitimate import documentation, and warned of temporary or permanent closures for non-compliance.

According to 2021 data, 68% of Hondurans aged 65 and older live in poverty, and 69% receive no pension or work income, a crisis driven by informal employment and gaps in pension-system coverage that leaves families to provide support.

Honduras's Part-Time Employment Law, approved in March 2026 with promised creation of 40,000 jobs, has generated only 59 registered contracts as of June, prompting officials and ruling-party lawmakers to acknowledge the law has failed to meet expectations.

CGT leader Daniel Durón argues that the part-time employment law has not reduced joblessness because the real problems are informal work (affecting 70% of the workforce) and low wages—80% of salaried workers earn under L10,000 (about $400) monthly.