Yunnan Province has officially announced a comprehensive adjustment to its minimum wage standards, set to take effect on September 1, 2026. The new standards were approved by the provincial government and formally issued by the provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security in a recent official notice.
The primary objective of this wage adjustment is to strengthen the protective role of the minimum wage system, facilitate a reasonable increase in income for low-wage earners, and better safeguard the basic living needs of low-income workers and their dependents. The move is also intended to enhance public wellbeing and increase residents' sense of fulfillment and happiness.
Following the adjustment, the province will continue to implement three distinct wage tiers based on the level of economic and social development in each county-level administrative region, with the specific classifications outlined as follows.
The first-tier region includes Wuhua District, Panlong District, Xishan District, Guandu District, Chenggong District and Jinning District of Kunming, as well as Anning City and Songming County. For these areas, the monthly minimum wage will rise from 2,170 yuan to 2,270 yuan, while the hourly minimum wage will increase from 21 yuan to 22 yuan.
The second-tier region covers other counties under Kunming's jurisdiction, Dongchuan District, county-level cities and municipal districts governed by other prefectures, as well as Yulong County and Deqin County. In these areas, the monthly minimum wage will go up from 2,020 yuan to 2,120 yuan, and the hourly rate will rise from 20 yuan to 21 yuan.
The third-tier region comprises all remaining counties across the province. For these locations, the monthly minimum wage will move from 1,870 yuan to 1,970 yuan, with the hourly rate climbing from 19 yuan to 20 yuan.
Under the province's minimum wage regulations, the minimum wage is defined as the lowest remuneration that employers are legally obligated to pay workers who have fulfilled their normal labor obligations within statutory working hours or the time agreed in their labor contracts. The wage base used for calculating the minimum wage includes social insurance premiums and housing fund contributions that are payable by the worker personally, as per relevant regulations. However, it does not include overtime or extra-shift pay that is calculated into the total wage bill under national regulations, nor does it cover allowances designed to compensate workers for special or extra labor consumption. Additionally, non-wage welfare benefits specified under laws, regulations, rules or policies, as well as housing and meal subsidies paid by employers in monetary form, are excluded from the calculation.
Regarding application scope, the monthly minimum wage standard applies to full-time workers, while the hourly minimum wage standard is designed for part-time workers. If an employer pays wages below the applicable minimum standard, workers are entitled to file a complaint or report the matter with the local human resources and social security department, or they may seek resolution through mediation, arbitration, or legal proceedings in accordance with the law.