Starting September 1, 2026, Yunnan Province will officially implement new minimum wage standards. The adjustment, recently approved by the provincial government and issued by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, is designed to strengthen the protective role of minimum wages, promote reasonable wage growth for low-income workers, and better safeguard the basic living needs of low-income earners and their dependents. Additionally, the move aims to enhance people's well-being and increase their sense of gain and happiness.
Under the new standards, the province's counties are divided into three categories based on their economic and social development levels, with different wage benchmarks applied to each category:
First-tier regions, covering urban districts such as Wuhua, Panlong, Xishan, Guandu, Chenggong and Jinning in Kunming, as well as Anning City and Songming County, will see the monthly minimum wage rise from 2,170 yuan to 2,270 yuan. The hourly minimum wage will increase from 21 yuan to 22 yuan.
Second-tier regions, encompassing other counties under Kunming's jurisdiction, Dongchuan District, as well as county-level cities and municipal districts in other prefectures, along with Yulong County and Deqin County, will have their monthly minimum wage raised from 2,020 yuan to 2,120 yuan. The corresponding hourly rate will go up from 20 yuan to 21 yuan.
Third-tier regions, which include all other counties across the province, will see the monthly minimum wage adjusted upward from 1,870 yuan to 1,970 yuan, with the hourly minimum wage climbing from 19 yuan to 20 yuan.
According to the Yunnan Province Minimum Wage Regulations, the minimum wage represents the minimum labor compensation that employers must pay workers who have performed normal labor within statutory working hours or the time frame specified in their labor contracts. The calculation of minimum wage includes social insurance premiums and housing provident fund contributions that workers are legally required to pay personally. However, it excludes overtime pay that is included in the total wage bill as stipulated by national regulations, subsidies compensating workers for special or extra labor consumption, as well as non-wage welfare benefits prescribed by laws, regulations, rules or policies, and any housing or meal subsidies paid in cash by employers.
In terms of application, the monthly minimum wage standard applies to full-time workers, while the hourly standard is used for part-time workers. If an employer pays wages below the minimum standard, workers have the right to file complaints with the human resources and social security department, or seek recourse through mediation, arbitration, or legal proceedings in accordance with the law.