Free flights bring migrant workers back

A chartered flight carrying more than 100 migrant workers from Yunnan province landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday, marking the official launch of post-Spring Festival charter flights for returning workers.

The initiative, organized by the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, is an unprecedented effort by the city to facilitate migrant workers' return to their jobs, officials said.

The passengers were from Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture and Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture. They did not have to pay for their tickets, as the Shanghai and Yunnan governments covered the costs to help them secure transportation during the Spring Festival travel rush.

Upon arrival, shuttle buses transported workers to their respective workplaces in Shanghai's districts of Jing'an, Hongkou and Baoshan.

Yang Qingrui and his wife, who both work at a fitness equipment factory in Baoshan, were among the passengers. In previous years, they used to travel back to Shanghai by train, a journey that took more than 30 hours.

"What drives us to travel a long way to Shanghai is the desire to earn money and live a better life," Yang said. "In the new year, our goal is to work harder so that we can better support our two children's education and provide a happier life for our family."

Gong Yufen and her twin 18-year-old daughters were also on board. It was the young women's first trip to Shanghai.

"I've worked in Shanghai for years, and I hope my girls can explore opportunities and find suitable careers in this bustling metropolis," Gong said.

During the first two weeks of Chinese New Year, Shanghai authorities will organize additional flights, trains and buses to help large numbers of workers return from labor-exporting provinces, including Anhui, Sichuan, Hunan, Henan and Gansu.

As Shanghai's economy continues to grow, demand for skilled labor is rising. In December, the city's human resources department introduced new labor cooperation measures, including specialized job training at designated schools in labor-exporting provinces, to attract more workers.

"After migrant workers arrive in Shanghai, district-level human resources departments will provide personalized career guidance and tailored training programs to help them improve their skills, adapt to job requirements and secure stable incomes," said Yang Jiaying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

To boost employment, Shanghai's human resources departments plan to hold more than 110 recruitment events over the next two months, offering more than 100,000 job openings, according to the bureau.

Other provinces and cities have also launched initiatives to ensure a smooth return to work for migrant laborers. Since Sunday, the Fuzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in Fujian province has arranged four flights, one train and 12 chartered buses from five departure locations, including Kunming in Yunnan province and Guiyang in Guizhou province, to help workers return to the city.

In Weining county, part of Bijie city in Guizhou, more than 1,100 migrant workers have traveled to Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces for jobs through government-organized flights, trains and buses. Others returned to work by driving vehicles with government subsidies.