CaixinChina's migrant workers stay closer to home, causing labor crunch
More entering service sector; youths in particular prefer hometowns, gig work
Chinese migrant workers board a chartered bus on Jan. 29 in Guizhou province's Danzhai county. © Getty Images
ZHOU YUMENG, HUANG HUIZHAO and WANG XINTONG, Caixin
Official data revealed a decline in Chinese migrants working outside their home provinces last year compared to 2021, while there was an increase in rural workers entering the service sector. The shifts have sparked concerns about a long-term labor shortage in the manufacturing sector.