Employment generated by new micro and small enterprises (MYPES) in El Salvador grew by 70% in 2024, according to the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (Conamype). While business creation saw a modest increase of 1.5% compared to the previous year, job generation surged significantly. Between January and September 2024, new MYPES created 15,390 jobs, surpassing the 9,037 positions recorded in the same period of 2023 and even exceeding the total jobs generated throughout all of 2023.

More than a third of these new jobs (31.3%) were in the manufacturing industry, while 19% came from commerce and automotive repair. Another 18.6% were in accommodation and food services, with agriculture, entertainment, healthcare, finance, real estate, construction, education, and transportation also contributing. The only sector that did not generate employment was extraterritorial organizations.

Among the new businesses, 21% focused on commerce and automotive repair, 19.6% on manufacturing, and 11.5% on accommodation and food services. These figures highlight the growing impact of MYPES in driving employment and economic growth in El Salvador.