Politics
Five Government Decisions Take Effect November 1, Including Flu-Care Leave and Public Sector Pay Rise
Published: 2026-11-01
Five measures from the 2026 budget amendment and seasonal regulations began on November 1, 2026.
Under Government Resolution 398, public administration bodies and local governments must give parents of children up to age 6 with influenza or flu-like illness up to five working days of paid leave or remote work, with medical confirmation. It runs through March 1, 2027; private employers are urged to follow.
Ger-district households without electricity arrears receive a night tariff discount from 21:00 to 09:00 on up to 1,500 kWh, through March 31, 2027.
Base pay for health, science, culture, sports and public service workers rises 50 percent from last year’s level, raising pay for 52,000 workers by an average of 477,000 to 903,000 tugrik, funded with 170.1 billion tugrik.
Base pensions add 100,000-300,000 tugrik, and social welfare pensions and allowances were also raised.
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Pay Rises Take Effect for Teachers, Doctors and 52,000 Other Public Servants
Published: 2026-11-01
Public-sector salaries and pensions for older citizens increased on November 1 under the 2026 budget amendment approved by parliament. The Ministry of Education said teachers with more than 20 years of experience will be paid 4,589,922 tugrik in soum general schools, 4,401,148 tugrik in aimag schools and 4,138,691 tugrik in capital city schools, before social insurance and income tax deductions. In health care, base pay rose another 20 percent, bringing this year’s total increase to 50 percent after a 30 percent rise on January 1. Heads now receive 2,708,000 tugrik, intensive care surgeons 2,456,000, specialist doctors 2,339,000 and general doctors 2,226,000. Education staff, 55,100 in total, received a 50 percent raise from January 1, funded with 674.5 billion tugrik in the amendment. Base pay for about 52,000 other public service employees also increased, with 170 billion tugrik budgeted.
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Petition for 857,000 Tugrik Oyu Tolgoi Dividend Payout Passes 100,000 Signatures
Published: 2026-11-01
A citizen petition calling for a payment of 857,000 tugrik per person from Oyu Tolgoi dividends has passed 100,000 signatures. Citizen Kh. Oyunbileg launched the petition on the D-Parliament system and began collecting signatures. As of 12:00 on November 1, 100,080 people had signed. The petition says that a need has arisen for the State Great Khural to set up a working group to draft the relevant legislation. The proposal concerns dividends from Oyu Tolgoi. Urug.mn reports that the petition will be discussed. The report does not say when or where the petition will be discussed, or whether lawmakers support the idea. The signature count of 100,080 is the figure given in the report.
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Published: 2026-11-01
Policy, diplomatic and environmental developments marked the last week of October. Parliament began debating a bill to regulate children’s use of social networks, and the government decided to update welfare pensions and benefits and raise base pay for 52,000 public service workers. President U. Khurelsukh made the first state visit to Belarus by a Mongolian head of state in 34 years of diplomatic relations, on October 24-26. He and Alexander Lukashenko signed 17 documents and set a 2027-2029 roadmap; bilateral trade was $18 million in 2025. Prime Minister N. Uchral met Japanese and British sides. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told Uchral by phone on October 29 that Japan would help restore grasslands damaged by the Dornod wildfire, which burned 80 percent of the Nomrog protected area. Ulaanbaatar also marked its 387th anniversary.
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Economy
Working Group Probes Rockfall at Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine That Affected 15 Workers
Published: 2026-11-01
A tremor at the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine in Khanbogd soum, Umnugovi Province, triggered a rockfall at about 18:00 on October 29, affecting 15 workers. The collapse hit a drift at the +1300 extraction level.
Two injured workers were brought to Ulaanbaatar and are being treated at Intermed hospital; the other 13 are in normal condition. Oyu Tolgoi LLC CEO S. Munkhsukh said neither injury is life-threatening.
“The rescue operation was carried out without delay.” - S. Munkhsukh (news.mn)
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources formed a working group with representatives of the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority and the Mineral Resources Professional Council to determine the cause, and on-site inspections have begun. A preliminary check found no impact outside the rockfall zone, and the company says it is preparing a phased restart of underground operations.
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Customs Agencies Weigh Cooperation Pact as Uzbekistan Trade Triples to $32 Million
Published: 2026-11-01
Customs officials from Mongolia and Uzbekistan discussed a formal cooperation agreement after trade between the two countries tripled from the previous year to $32 million in 2025. Mongolia mainly exports livestock meat to Uzbekistan and imports food products, fruit and nuts. On October 30, G. Enkhtaivan, Deputy Head of Mongolia’s General Customs Authority, met representatives of Uzbekistan’s customs service. They discussed an intergovernmental agreement on customs cooperation and mutual assistance to establish a legal basis for joint work, and agreed to cooperate on drafting it. They also reviewed exchanging customs information and experience, facilitating trade, digitalizing customs operations and improving the effectiveness of customs control and clearance. Other topics included mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operator programs and strengthening the capacity of customs staff. Both sides agreed to work actively to take cooperation to a new level.
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Infrastructure
Government Pledges No Winter Power or Heat Price Rise as Plants Prepare for Peak Demand
Published: 2026-11-01
Prime Minister N. Uchral and Energy Minister B. Naidalaa led an inspection of the National Dispatching Center and Thermal Power Plant No. 3 and No. 4.
Central-region peak demand is projected at 1,956 MW against 1,797 MW of installed capacity. Russian imports fill production gaps; the plan lists 80 MW from China and the new 70 MW Sukhbaatar plant. Thermal Power Plant No. 4 received 1.8 billion tugrik and No. 3 2.1 billion from the government reserve fund for boiler upgrades.
The Energy Minister presented winter preparedness across 46 energy companies as 92.5 percent complete (news.mn); isee.mn calls it completion of the Prime Minister’s spring instructions.
“Keeping the plants running normally and not leaving citizens without power or heat depends on your efforts.” - N. Uchral (isee.mn)
The Government says power and heat prices will not rise this winter; a 107.3 billion tugrik subsidy keeps tariff increases off households.
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Society
Base Pension Transfers Begin for 413,000 Retirees, With Some Payments Still Pending
Published: 2026-11-01
Transfers of a new base pension to 413,000 retirees began on November 1. Funded by the state budget rather than the Social Insurance Fund, it adds 100,000-300,000 tugrik monthly to current pensions for social insurance and military pensioners aged 55 (women) or 60 (men).
The General Office of Social Insurance said some payments are pending and timing varies by bank: Khan Bank transfers in Ulaanbaatar are complete, while others are processed in sequence.
Prime Minister N. Uchral met retirees at the Bayanzurkh District Elders’ Center and spoke of the three-tier system’s foundation being laid. The base pension is the reform’s first tier.
“Today is a historic day when the foundation of the three-tier pension system is truly being laid.” - N. Uchral (gogo.mn)
A partly savings-based second tier is scheduled to begin January 1, 2027, and the bill is under discussion in Parliament.
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