Are you aware of the latest labour law updates in China? We highlight the essential changes that took place in September 2023 that you should pay attention to across the key states in China!
1. New Minimum Wage
Starting from September 2023, Beijing has increased the minimum wage to RMB13.91 per hour or RMB2,420 per month.
2. Increase in the Maximum Amount of Severance Payments
| Location | Effective Date | Max Amount of Severance Payments (RMB) |
| Tianjin | August 2023 | 320,811 |
| Nantong, Jiangsu Province | September 2023 | 320,811 |
3. Increase in the Maximum Amount of Taxable Housing Provident Fund
| Location | Effective Date | Max Amount of Taxable Housing Provident Fund (RMB) |
| Chengdu, Sichuan Province | January 2023 | 29,353 |
| Yangcheng, Jiangsu Province | July 2023 | 28,500 |
| Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province | August 2023 | 32,073 |
| Haining, Zhejiang Province | August 2023 | 32,073 |
| Wenling, Zhejiang Province | July 2023 | 27,766 |
| Yiwu, Zhejiang Province | July 2023 | 29,737 |
| Harbin, Heilongjiang Province | January 2023 | 24,555 |
| Xingtai, Hebei Province | July 2023 | 18,690 |
4. The Work Injury Insurance
Hainan Province
Haikou City has issued a notice regarding the release of the 2023 adjustment standards for monthly disability allowances for grade 5 and grade 6. This notice specifies that the monthly disability allowance for grade 5 injuries will increase by RMB162.96, while the grade injury allowance will see an increase of RMB143.79. This adjustment is valid from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
Gansu Province
Gansu Province has issued a notice regarding the adjustment of relevant benefits for work-related injury insurance for the year 2023, specifying that starting from January 1, 2023, adjustments will be made to disability allowances, life care allowances, and death grant for surviving family members of workers who died due to work-related causes for all insured workers in the province.
The scope of this adjustment includes workers who suffered work-related injuries before December 31, 2022, and are currently receiving monthly disability allowances and life care allowance, as well as surviving family members who are currently receiving a monthly death grant. The adjustment standards are as follows:
1. New Min Monthly Disability Allowances
- Disability Grade 1 increases by RMB109 per month
- Disability Grade 2 increases by RMB105 per month
- Disability Grade 3 increases by RMB100 per month
- Disability Grade 4 increases by RMB95 per month
- Disability Grade 5 increases by RMB90 per month
- Disability Grade 6 increases by RMB81 per month
2. Living Care Allowance
| Level of Disability | Monthly Living Care Allowance (RMB) |
| Unable to independently care for oneself | 3,786 |
| Limited ability to take care of oneself | 3,029 |
| Partially unable to take care of oneself | 2,272 |
3. For the death grant provided to the surviving family members of workers who died due to work-related causes, the monthly allowance for spouses will be increased by 46 yuan per person, and other relatives will see an increase of 39 yuan per person. Additionally, elderly widows or orphans will receive an additional 6 yuan per person on top of the above-mentioned standards.
This notice required all cities, prefectures, relevant industry enterprises, and government institutions, to implement the increments by the end of September 2023.
Qinghai Province
Qinghai Province has issued a notice regarding the adjustment of benefits related to work-related injury insurance, explicitly stating that relevant departments and units must strictly implement the “notice” starting from January 1, 2023, to ensure that the adjusted work-related injury benefits are disbursed in a timely and full manner.
The recipients of this adjustment include employees who have had work-related injuries who received disability allowances and living care expenses before December 31, 2022, as well as individuals who receive monthly dependent survivor benefits. However, the adjustment of disability allowance benefits does not apply to individuals with work-related injuries who are already receiving an urban workers’ basic pension. The adjustment standards are as follows:
- For employees with work-related injuries grades one to six, the monthly disability allowance will increase by RMB230 per month.
- Living Care Allowance
| Level of Disability | Monthly Living Care Allowance (RMB) |
| Unable to independently care for oneself | 3,802 |
| Limited ability to take care of oneself | 3,042 |
| Partially unable to take care of oneself | 2,281 |
3. For the death grant provided to the surviving family members of workers who died due to work-related causes, the monthly amount will increase by RMB108. If the adjusted amount falls below RMB1,369 per month, it will be adjusted to RMB1,369 per month.
5. Latest Heating Allowance Policy
The standard heating allowance for Changchun, Jilin Province in 2023 is RMB27 per square meter.
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1. Labour Law Insider – APAC 2023 Q4 Legislation Update