In the first nine months, total real wages increased by 2.6% year-on-year, the largest increase in the same period in the past 11 years.

The General Accounting Office announced today that the average monthly recurring salary of all employees in the industrial and service industries from January to September was 49,152 yuan, an annual increase of 2.93%. The growth rate was the second highest in the same period in 26 years, second only to last year; the total salary increased by 4.59% annually, a new high in the same period in 2016; excluding price factors, the real regular salary increased by 1.08% in the first nine months, and the real total salary increased by 2.6%, which was the largest increase in the same period in the past 11 years.

According to a survey by the General Accounting Office, the number of employed workers at the end of September was 8.637 million, an annual increase of 90,000; from January to September, the average number of employed workers was 8.591 million, an annual increase of 81,000. In addition, the average overtime hours in the manufacturing industry in September was 17.9 hours, a record high for the same month in 47 years. Among them, the overtime hours for electronic components were 28.3 hours, the highest in the same month in 47 years, and the computer, electronics and optical products industry was 17.5 hours, the highest in the same month in 23 years.

In addition, the average regular salary (including principal salary and fixed allowance) of all employees in the first nine months was 49,152 yuan, an annual increase of 2.93%. The growth rate was the second highest in the same period in 2026. This was mainly due to the annual increase in the minimum wage and active salary adjustments by manufacturers. The median regular salary was 39,429 yuan, an annual increase of 3.04%. Adding bonuses, overtime pay and other non-recurring salaries, the total salary in the first nine months increased by 4.59% annually. After deducting price increases, real regular wages increased by 1.08% annually in the first nine months, and real total wages increased by 2.6% annually, which was the largest increase in the same period in the past 11 years.

However, in the first nine months, 69.97% of employees had lower than average regular wages, which was a new high for the same period in the past year, but it was slightly lower than the first half of the year by 0.06 percentage points. The Accounting General Office stated that due to changes in the labor market's manpower structure, the number of migrant workers and part-time employees has increased more than that of native full-time employees in recent years. As a result, the proportion of the two groups with relatively low wages has gradually increased, and the salary growth of the high-income group will also increase the average level.