Migrants get back to work with govt help

The central government is helping migrant workers get back to work amid the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, with those in extreme poverty enjoying priority.

According to a news release by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Friday, local governments have helped 2.1 million migrant workers return to work, and more support will continue to be given.

A recent notice released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development said that more jobs will be created in poverty-stricken areas and the government will help transfer more impoverished workers to areas facing labor shortages.

Fifty-two remote areas struggling in extreme poverty are the priority of the work, including in the Tibet autonomous region, southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province, the notice said.

According to the notice, key companies producing medical and daily supplies are encouraged to recruit workers from poverty-stricken areas, while subsidies will be given to the companies, the notice said.

The government will offer assistance in transportation and protective supplies to qualified workers in poor areas.

In addition, public organizations and social platforms focusing on employment are encouraged to help workers in poverty, according to the notice. Subsidies will be given to these platforms.

Chen Lixiang, vice-dean at Peking University's China Institute for Occupation Research, said that making recruitment information available to job seekers in poor areas is of great importance when population flow has been reduced to curb the epidemic.

"It's quite important for the government to deliver information about which companies need workers to those impoverished people in the current situation," he said. "Then the government can help transport these workers right to the company, which can also contain the coronavirus."

The notice said that people in those poverty-stricken areas are encouraged to find jobs at or near their hometowns.

The local governments are required to promote resumption of work at companies, workshops and projects in the sectors of agriculture and water conservancy, with residents in poverty enjoying privileges in recruitment.

Temporary positions such as cleaners, disinfection workers and watchmen for checkout stations will be open to the impoverished residents amid the epidemic.

Encouraging poverty-stricken groups to take online courses is another measure to help enhance their skills and find jobs, according to the notice.

The government will also help workers in poor financial condition to master skills－for example, seeking jobs online－and arrange for them to join online interviews at some public employment institutes. Those poor residents receiving online training courses will be given subsidies.

Yunnan province has arranged for 15,000 people to take online courses, and has helped over 100,000 migrant workers return to their positions since Feb 15.

At a recent top leadership meeting in Beijing, President Xi Jinping said that the government will endeavor to stabilize employment and win the battle against poverty.

He said that targeted aid should be given to key groups and those having difficulties finding jobs.

He said mechanisms to prevent people returning to poverty should be established or improved to secure residents' basic living standards amid the epidemic.