Migrant workers in China: a general survey

摘要

1.3 GDP20% Based on a study of the empirical research literature, this paper presents us with a panoramic picture of migrant workers in China covering their numbers, their structural distribution, their contribution to labor export areas and their impact on labor import areas. Within the total analysis, attention should be paid to the different statistical specifications used in different surveys to estimate the size of the rural migrant population. What is noteworthy is that the number of rural migrant workers has reached 130 million according to the latest agricultural census. The non-working population migrating with migrant workers are not counted in such data. Those who migrate to seek work or run a business are mainly young people with an educational background of junior high school; they are mainly employed in manufacturing, construction and service industries. A large proportion of them have traveled a long distance. Studies have shown that the structural transformation of employment brought about by the cross-regional migration of rural migrant workers has made a huge contribution (estimated at around 20%) to China's economic growth. While such migrations have positive effects on labor export areas overall, particularly in terms of income, they also have left behind a large population of uncared-for children and old people.