The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) is an institution under the State Council of the People's Republic of China (PRC) responsible for national labor policies and the social security system. It was created in 2008 through the merger of the former Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, aiming to consolidate the management of the labor force, social insurance, and labor relationship adjustment.
The MOHRSS's mechanism involves formulating development plans, promoting employment, and establishing a multi-level social security system for both urban and rural areas. Key provisions include managing the employment market, setting minimum wage standards across provinces, and overseeing the national social security system. The ministry is closely connected to the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The State Bureau of Civil Servants reports to the MOHRSS, and it oversees the China Overseas Talent Network.
The ministry has been central to recent, significant changes in China's labor landscape. In September 2024, the Standing Committee of the PRC National People's Congress approved the Decision on the Implementation of Gradual Delayed Retirement Age, and the State Council issued the Measures on Gradually Raising the Statutory Retirement Ages. This reform, effective January 1, 2025, will gradually raise the statutory retirement age for male employees from 60 to 63 and for female employees to 55 or 58, depending on their job classification. Furthermore, in May 2026, the MOHRSS, along with four other government agencies, jointly issued the Interim Provisions on the Protection of Basic Rights and Interests of Over-Age Workers. These provisions, effective July 1, 2026, establish the first national framework to protect individuals who continue working after reaching the statutory retirement age, requiring employers to sign written agreements and ensure remuneration is not below the local minimum wage.