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Payroll in China

Payroll in China

Chinese payroll process and HR come to the attention of our specialists who can offer you the services you need for the company you own in this country. In this approach, the progressive tax system and precisely the individual income tax that ranges from 3% to 45% rate is taken into account. In the following lines, you will find important information about payroll in China so that you can get an idea about this, with the mention that you can contact one of our accountants in China.

 Quick Facts  
What does a payroll specialist in China do?  Calculation of salaries and related taxes, and their distribution according to the policies and internal regulations of the company 

What is a payslip? 

A document containing information about an employee’s salary, including the contributions owed to him 

Importance of a payroll system 

All employee data, working hours, and days off are recorded through a payroll system to correctly calculate salaries before their distribution in the company. 

Who signs the documents before the distribution of salaries in the company?  Company managers 
When are salaries distributed in the company? 

 When payslips are issued and signed by the company management in charge.

Benefits for employees in China  

– annual leave,

– maternity leave,

– paternity leave,

– sick leave, etc. 

Individual income tax  

Ranging from 3% to 45% depending on the income 

Annual paid leave in China  

5 days after one year of work in the company 

Unemployment insurance 

0.5% 

Pension contribution on behalf of employee   8% 
Medical insurance paid by the employee  

Ranging from 2%  to 10% rate, depending on the region/province in China 

Content of a work contract  

– type of activities,

– company policy,

– working hours,

– remuneration, etc. 

Minimum wage in China  

Around CNY 2,320/ month in Beijing, and CNY 2,590/ month in Shanghai.

Wages differ depending on the city. 

13th salary in China  

Stipulated in the employment contract 

Why choose our payroll specialists in China?   We offer complete payroll services at affordable prices, tailored offers depending on the size of the company.

Payroll procedures in China

Payroll services in China involve various procedures with the help of which salaries are calculated and distributed in the accounts of a company’s employees. The specialists in the Chinese payroll process use dedicated software and platforms for calculating salaries, taking into account the number of hours worked and related taxes. Below are other important aspects:

  • Social security contributions are paid by the employee and the employer.
  • Once these are calculated, the payslips are drawn up.
  • Payslips include information about gross salary, related taxes, price, and net salary. Once drawn up, they go to the finance and management department for approval.
  • With the help of programs dedicated to the Chinese payroll process, salaries are delivered to employees’ accounts, according to the rules established by the employing company.

Payroll services in China are important for a company, and if you need support in this regard, we recommend that you contact one of our accountants in China. We also help international investors open a company in China by handling the formalities.

What exactly does a payroll specialist do in China?

When you want to open a company in China, you must consider the services offered by a reliable accounting firm. You can benefit from such services offered by a payroll specialist in China. Here are some of the aspects related to payroll for a newly established or already existing company in China:

  • Employees are registered in the payroll system, with their names, functions, activities, work or profession identification codes.
  • Along with the registration of data about employees, information about salary, hours worked, taxes, benefits, compensations, etc. is also passed.
  • A payroll specialist must consider deductions and benefits that can be entered on the payroll.
  • When the wages are calculated, the taxes paid by both the employee and the employer will be taken into account. The payroll process ends only after all the information has been verified and further accepted by the company’s managers.
  • A payroll specialist uses dedicated programs and platforms for calculating and registering a company’s salaries. The process may take a few days, but the distribution of salaries should be done according to the company’s internal procedures.
  • With the distribution of salaries in the company, each employee must also receive a payslip.
  • We specify here that all this information must be recorded, archived, and kept in the company.

What are the contributions paid by the employee and the employer in China?


Both the employee and the employer must pay certain contributions to the state, and the following are imposed in most cities in China, except the percent for work injury which in this case is available for Shanghai:

  • Health fund – 2% employee, 3-12% employer;
  • Pension fund – 8% employee, 14% – 22% employer;
  • Occupational injury – 0.16% – 1.52% paid only by the employer;
  • Housing fund – 5%-25% by both employee and employer.

Individual income tax is added to the above taxes, which varies according to revenues and also cities and regions. Thus, for incomes not exceeding CNY 36,000 per year, the income tax is set at a 3% rate. If the income exceeds the amount of CNY 960,000 per year, a tax of 45% is applied to the amount over this value and a deduction of approximately CNY 181,920.

We recommend those interested in payroll in China contact us to find out all the information. Also, we are at your disposal with information about company formation in China.

How is paid leave calculated in China?

According to the employment contract that can be concluded between an employee and an employer in China, paid leave is determined upon the years of employment and is added to public holidays, as stipulated in the legislation. Here is some information in this regard:

  • Employees who are in their first year are not entitled to annual paid leave.
  • After concluding the first year up to the 10th year of work, the employee is allowed to have 5 days of paid leave,
  • This increases to 10 days for employees with 10 to 20 years of experience and a maximum of 15 days for workers who have 20 years of work experience or more.

If you want to know more about paid leave in China, we recommend you talk to our specialists. We can provide information about payroll in China and related matters.

Employment contract in China

Employers are obliged to offer workers employment contracts. These can be part-time, full-time, fixed-term, or open-term agreements. Such a contract must provide information about the employer, the type of work performed, working hours, payment for extra work, the conditions under which the work is carried out, as well as those in which such an employment contract can be concluded. Would you like to know more about payroll in China? Contact us at any time.

About the verbal employment contract – Chinese payroll process

When you contract the services of an accounting firm in China, you must know exactly what it is about. For example, you can benefit from the services offered by a payroll specialist in China, who can also provide you with information about the types of contracts that can be registered, as required by law. For example, only written contracts are accepted, not verbal ones at all. Therefore, a respectable employer on the market knows the legislation and of course, must comply with it.

We mention that in the case of foreign employees in Chinese companies, a work and residence permit in China is needed, depending on the country they come from.

Feel free to contact us for extra details about payroll in China and the implicated procedures. We can also help you start a company in China.

The minimum wage in China

According to the latest data, the minimum wage in China per month is approximately CNY 2,320 in Beijing, and CNY 2,590 in Shanghai because the salary might differ from city to city. However, it should be mentioned that minimum wages differ depending on the region. For example, in regions such as Beijing, Hebei, Jiangsu, and Shandong, the minimum wage is set at around CNY 1,960 per month. We can provide additional details about payroll in China, so get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Why use the services of a payroll specialist in China?

It is recommended to have at hand the services of a specialist in the Chinese payroll process, who knows the legislation and the dedicated platforms for calculating salaries in a company. On the other hand, outsourced payroll services in China are much more affordable compared to hiring such specialists for the company you own.
Therefore, you can discover the benefits and offers of an accounting firm in China, if you contact us. We are aware of the changes made to the legislation and can propose various strategies to be implemented in the company to be able to continue in order from a legal point of view with the company and the activities.

Are you interested in payroll services in China and want to collaborate with our specialists? You can contact us by phone or online to find out all the information about the Chinese payroll process that can be implemented for the company you own. You can also solicit information about WOFE in China and the procedure involved.