On October 8, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security website published the minimum wage standards for all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government (as of October 1, 2026).

The minimum wage standard is a statutory labor benchmark. It is the minimum labor remuneration that the state mandates employers must pay to workers in order to protect the basic living needs of workers and their family members. It is characterized by being statutory, guaranteed, and mandatory. It is an important policy tool for the government to regulate wage distribution in the labor market, one of the important reference standards for the market-oriented allocation of human resources, and an international practice for the government to protect workers under market economy conditions.

Minimum wage standards generally take two forms: monthly minimum wage standards and hourly minimum wage standards. The monthly minimum wage standard applies to full-time employed workers, while the hourly minimum wage standard applies to part-time employed workers.

In terms of the monthly minimum wage standard, Shanghai ranks first nationwide with a standard of 2,740 yuan; in terms of the hourly minimum wage standard, Beijing ranks first nationwide with a standard of 27.7 yuan.

At present, Jiangsu's monthly minimum wage standards are: 2,660 yuan for Category I areas; 2,430 yuan for Category II areas; and 2,180 yuan for Category III areas. The hourly minimum wage standards for part-time employment are: 25 yuan for Category I areas; 23 yuan for Category II areas; and 21 yuan for Category III areas.

According to relevant regulations, items such as overtime pay, allowances for special working environments and conditions including middle shifts, night shifts, high temperatures, low temperatures, underground work, and toxic or hazardous conditions, housing provident fund contributions made by workers at the lower limit, and worker welfare benefits stipulated by laws, regulations, and the state shall not be included as components of the minimum wage standard, and employers shall pay them separately in accordance with regulations.

The internship remuneration paid by enterprises to students in substitute internship positions and the labor remuneration for students in work-study programs shall be calculated on an hourly basis and shall not be lower than the local hourly minimum wage standard for part-time employment.

If an employer violates the minimum wage guarantee regulations, workers have the right to complain and report, and may also apply for mediation or arbitration in accordance with the law, or file a lawsuit in accordance with the law.