On October 8, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security website released the minimum wage standards for all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country (as of October 1, 2026).

Minimum wage standards are a statutory labor benchmark, a mandatory minimum labor remuneration that employers must pay to workers, designed by the state to protect the basic livelihood of workers and their family members. They possess the characteristics of being statutory, providing a floor, and being compulsory. They serve as an important policy tool for the government to regulate wage distribution in the labor market, a key reference standard for the market-oriented allocation of human resources, and an international convention for government protection of workers under market economy conditions.

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

Currently, 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 environments, housing provident fund contributions made by workers at the lower limit, and statutory worker welfare benefits stipulated by laws, regulations, and the state are not included as components of the minimum wage standard. Employers shall pay these separately in accordance with regulations.

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

If an employer violates minimum wage protection regulations, workers have the right to file complaints and reports, and may also apply for mediation, arbitration, or initiate legal proceedings in accordance with the law.