The Hardest Market · China
China's HR data
The rules and costs of employing people in China (Shanghai), from official sources, in English and Japanese, with Japan alongside.
1.33×employer's total cost on a salary of CN¥20,000 a month, as a multiple of salary
13public holidays (2026)
Shanghaicity the figures assume
Employment rules
| Statutory annual leave | 5 days; 10 after 10 years’ total work, 15 after 20 |
|---|---|
| Public holidays (2026) | 13 days |
| Notice of dismissal | 30 days, or one month’s pay in lieu (no-fault dismissal) |
| Severance required by law | One month’s pay per year of service (capped for high earners) |
| Typical negotiated exit | Commonly “N+1”: statutory severance plus a month in lieu of notice |
| Probation | 1–6 months, by length of contract |
| Working hours | 40 a week; overtime capped at 36 hours a month |
| How hard is dismissal? | Hard: needs a statutory ground |
Employer contributions
| Basic pension insurance | 16% |
|---|---|
| Medical insurance (incl. maternity) and local supplementary medical | 9% |
| Unemployment insurance | 0.5% |
| Work injury insurance | 0.2% |
| Housing provident fund | 7% |
Employee contributions
| Basic pension insurance | 8% |
|---|---|
| Basic medical insurance | 2% |
| Unemployment insurance | 0.5% |
| Housing provident fund | 7% |
Take-home pay and employer cost by monthly salary
| Monthly salary | Employee contributions | Income tax | Take-home | Employer cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN¥10,000 | CN¥1,750 | CN¥115 | CN¥8,135 | CN¥13,270 |
| CN¥20,000 | CN¥3,500 | CN¥940 | CN¥15,560 | CN¥26,540 |
| CN¥40,000 | CN¥6,603 | CN¥4,439 | CN¥28,958 | CN¥52,338 |
| CN¥80,000 | CN¥6,603 | CN¥16,779 | CN¥56,618 | CN¥92,338 |
Assumes a Chinese national employed in Shanghai, with Shanghai social insurance and the housing provident fund at 7% on each side.
Company data
Listed companies in China are not required to publish company-level HR figures such as women in management or pay by gender, so this section covers the rules, costs and calculator rather than company pages.
Sources: Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Shanghai Healthcare Security Bureau, Shanghai Housing Provident Fund Management Center, State Taxation Administration, State Council. Checked 2026-10-24.