Minimum wage in China
China has no single national minimum wage. Each province, autonomous region and municipality sets its own, usually in several tiers by city or area, with both a monthly and an hourly rate.
Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Who sets it
Provincial governments set the minimum wages under national rules, after consulting the trade union and employers' organisations, and report them to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
How it changes
The national rules require the rates to be reviewed at least every three years, and many provinces adjust them more often.
Who is covered, and who is treated differently
- Within a province there are usually several tiers, with higher rates in the larger cities.
- A separate hourly rate is set for part-time work.
What to watch for
- There is no one figure for the country. Find the rate for the province and city where the work is done.
Understand the legal system first
China belongs to the Civil law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.
Read the China legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare China with another country →
Official sources
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.

