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4 new labor codes in India are now fully operational
09 May 2026

The Indian government has fully implemented four new labor codes, aimed at ensuring a minimum wage and universal social security for all workers.

The codes are the Code on Wages, 2019; Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Code on Social Security, 2020; as well as Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

Rules under these 4 codes have been notified
Implementation process

An official told PTI that the rules under these four codes have been notified in the government's official gazette, completing their full implementation.

The draft rules were published on December 30, 2025, to seek feedback from stakeholders and were notified after legal vetting.

This step was necessary for making these new laws fully operational.

Codes aim to promote ease of doing business
Code consolidation

The new labor codes consolidate 29 existing laws into four, addressing long-standing challenges and making the system more efficient and contemporary.

The main objective is to promote ease of doing business, create jobs, and ensure safety, health, social security & wage security for every worker.

As labor is a concurrent subject, both the central and state governments have to notify rules under these codes for nationwide enforcement.

Provisions under the new labor codes
Code provisions

The new labor codes come with several provisions, including a mandatory appointment letter, free health check-ups for workers aged 40 years and above, and equal work, pay & opportunity for women on different shifts.

The framework also mandates the establishment of a National Reskilling Fund to reskill workers who lose their jobs.

It caps weekly working hours at 48 hours and offers at least one weekend off or rest day to workers with overtime payment for extra hours worked.