Home>News Center>China
       
 

Guangdong lifts ban on migrant job seekers
By Liang Qiwen (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-01-14 00:00

Migrant workers can now seek work in South China's Guangdong Province immediately after Chinese lunar New Year, overturning a decade-long ban stopping a traditional influx of people in the month following Spring Festival.

Widely known as the "six disallowables," a 1995 decree forbade the recruitment of workers from other provinces during the period to control a huge inflow that strained facilities like transport.

This year, however, the province is worried about labour shortages, so the Guangdong Provincial Labour and Social Security Bureau lifted the ban on Tuesday.

Zhang Xiang, an official with the bureau, confirmed the move would ease labour shortages, which the area has been suffering from over the past several months.

At least 2 million migrant workers have reportedly moved to better-paid jobs in the Yangtze River Delta area in East China.

Wu Zhenchang, with the Guangzhou Association of Taiwan Entrepreneurs, said he believed the move would encourage farmer-turned labourers back to Guangdong.

Latest statistics show there were 19 million migrant workers in Guangdong in 2004. The province's labour and social security authorities predict that about 50 per cent of them will head home in the Chinese New Year, returning to their work places afterwards.

Cheaper means of transport, such as buses and trains, will be their first choices.

"We decided to cancel the ban because we believe the current capacity of transport in the province is large enough to meet a sharp increase of migrant workers," said Zhang Xiang.

"Guangzhou, the capital of the province, will lift the ban as soon as the lunar New Year is over," said Zhang Jiemin, director with the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Labour and Social Security.

He was not as convinced that the city's transport capacity would be able to bear the extra load, however.

The Guangzhou Railway (Group) Company, which is operating most of the province's railways, says that in ordinary times of the year, more than 300,000 passengers are carried daily by Guangdong's railways. He said the current capacity would be able to carry nearly 500,000 passengers at peak.



 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Bilateral meeting sign of progress on IPR protection

 

   
 

Expressway planned to link Beijing, Taipei

 

   
 

Investors ask for no cut in tax favours

 

   
 

Straw to discuss arms ban in Beijing

 

   
 

Malaria threat emerges in tsunami zone

 

   
 

Gambling with public funds faces crackdown

 

   
  Top 10 phrases show what's on nation's mind
   
  Smuggling drops after GAC efforts
   
  Vice-mayor sentenced to death for bribe-taking
   
  Guangdong lifts ban on migrant job seekers
   
  Chinese scientists find dinosaur-eating mammal
   
  Train ticket price to hike 15% from Feb 1
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Guangdong to divert water to fight salt tides
   
Guangdong to divert water to fight salt tides, drought
   
Guangdong sends medical teams to rural area
   
Guangdong sends medical teams to rural area
   
Guangdong looks to improve water links
   
Farmer-urban dweller fence being demolished
   
Minimum wage raised to bring workers back
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement