A government survey, covering 800 immigrants, found that most of those with a high level of education and a stable job were leading a happy life in the city, and that the hostility between local residents and immigrants was subsiding.

That means not many Shanghai residents today refer to immigrants as country potatoes. And 80 percent of the immigrants consider themselves part Shanghainese.

The immigrants from other provinces work for 20 companies, schools, academic institutions or government departments, and most of them have university degrees.

Lu Jie, a 29-year-old clerk, feels more at home in Shanghai than in her home-town in Jiangsu Province. "I attended university here and my life is all here," she said. Lu speaks the Shanghai dialect, though with a bit of an accent.

"Shanghai is getting more open and friendly and is full of opportunities I love living here."

Most of those polled share Lu's views, saying the degree of happiness grows with the level of education.

The survey, however, showed the level of comfort varies proportionately with the level of education which decides the nature and quality of job one gets. More than 70 percent with a high school or lower education feel discriminated against in the city.

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