As different parts of China have very different standards of living, China does not set one minimum wage for the entire nation. Instead, the task of setting minimum wages is delegated to the local governments. Each province, municipality, or region sets its own minimum wage in accordance with its own local conditions. According to the country's Employment Promotion Plan, minimum wages are supposed to increase in accordance with local living standards by at least 13 percent through 2015 and be no less than 40 percent of the average local wages. Minimum wages under such policies increased by an average 12.6 percent rate between 2008 and 2012. However, the growth rate of minimum wage levels decreased in 2016, reflecting the Chinese government's effort to reduce pressure on enterprises resulting from the uneven growth between labor costs and production rates.
The overall trends for the change of minimum wage levels diverge across provinces, with much smaller increases in developed regions and more rapid growth in less developed regions. From June 2015 and June 2016, 22 regions made changes to their minimum wage levels. In 2016, the average growth rate dropped to 14.5 percent from 17 percent in 2015. The Guangdong provincial government announced that it would maintain 2015 minimum wage levels in 2016 and 2017, and the minimum wage growth rate in Shanghai has decreased from 12.3 in 2015 to 8.4 percent in 2016. Guizhou province stands out as the region carrying the most significant hike of minimum wage levels in 2016, 55 percent. As of 21 February 2023, Shanghai has the highest monthly minimum wage in China's mainland, at 2,590 RMB per month, while Beijing has the highest hourly wage in China's mainland, at 25.3 RMB per hour. Liaoning has the lowest monthly minimum wage in China's mainland, at 1,420 RMB per month, and Heilongjiang has the lowest hourly minimum wage in China's mainland, at 13.0 RMB per hour.
Minimum wage levels by jurisdiction
The table below lists monthly and hourly minimum wages by province and wage districts. Provinces are divided into different wage districts: Guizhou, for instance, is divided up into Class A, B, and C, which each have their own minimum monthly and hourly wage. Note: these figures do not take into account deductions, such as pensions or social insurance.
+ Minimum Wages Across China (as of 20 November 2024)Region Districts Monthly Minimum Wages (RMB¥)China Minimum Wage by Region 2018 - WageIndicator.org Hourly Minimum Wages (RMB¥) Comments Anhui ABCD 2,060 1,930 1,870 1,780 21.020.019.018.0 Beijing - 2,420 26.4 Chongqing AB 2,1002,000 21.020.0 Fujian ABCD 2,0301,9601,8101,660 21.020.519.017.5 Gansu ABCD 2,0201,9601,9101,850 21.020.520.019.5 Guangdong ABC D 2,360*2,3001,9001,7201,620 22.2*22.218.117.016.1 *Shenzhen independently sets its own minimum wage. Guangxi ABC 1,9901,8401,690 20.118.617.0 Guizhou ABC 1,8901,7601,660 19.618.317.2 Hainan AB 2,0101,850 17.916.3 Hebei ABC 2,2002,0001,800 22.020.018.0 Heilongjiang ABC 2,0801,8501,750 19.017.016.5 Henan ABC 2,1002,0001,800 20.619.617.6 Hubei ABCD 2,2101,9501,800 22.019.518.0 Hunan ABC 2,1001,9001,700 21.019.017.0 Inner Mongolia ABC 2,2702,2002,140 22.421.721.1 Jiangsu ABC 2,4902,2602,010 24.022.020.0 Jiangxi ABC 2,0001,8701,740 20.018.717.4 Jilin ABC 2,1201,9201,780 21.019.518.0 Liaoning ABC 2,1001,9001,700 21.019.017.0 Ningxia AB 2,0501,900 20.018.0 Qinghai - 1,880 18.0 Shaanxi ABC 1,9501,8501,750 19.018.017.0 Shandong ABC 2,1001,9001,700 21.019.017.0 Shanghai - 2,590 23.0 Shanxi ABC 1,8801,7601,630 19.818.517.2 Sichuan ABC 2,1001,9701,870 22.021.020.0 Tianjin - 2,180 22.6 Tibet - 1,850 18.0 Xinjiang ABCD 1,9001,7001,6201,540 19.017.016.215.4 Yunnan ABC 2,0701,9201,770 20.019.018.0 Zhejiang ABC 2,4902,2602,010 24.022.020.0
Minimum wage history in China +YearHourly Minimum Wages Monthly Minimum Wages RemarksJuly 202415元 ~ 26.4元1,540元 ~ 2,690元April 202516元 ~ 26.4元1,650元 ~ 2,690元July 202516.3元 ~ 27.7元1,700元 ~ 2,740元Jan 202617.4元 ~ 27.7元1,750元 ~ 2,740元
See also Minimum wage Minimum wage law List of countries by minimum wage
References