China's Migrant Workers Exceed 300 Million, Construction Sector Sees Significant Decline Amid Real Estate Slump
China's migrant worker population surpassed 300 million for the first time in 2025, but the construction industry, previously the highest-earning sector for them, saw a decrease of 14 million workers over the past four years due to the real estate downturn. The growth in average monthly income has also slowed, and there's a trend towards employment within their home provinces.
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- 📰 Published: May 3, 2026 at 11:28
- 🔍 Collected: May 3, 2026 at 12:01 (33 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 3, 2026 at 12:14 (12 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Zhang Shuling, Beijing, 3rd) The number of migrant workers in China exceeded 300 million for the first time in 2025, reaching 301.15 million. Among the industries they primarily work in, the construction industry had the highest average monthly income, but with the real estate industry hitting rock bottom, the number of migrant workers in construction decreased by 14 million over four years.
Migrant workers refer to laborers whose household registration remains in rural areas and who engage in non-agricultural industries locally or work away from home for six months or more within the year. The employment, wages, and mobility of migrant workers are closely related to China's economic development and social issues.
The '2025 Migrant Worker Monitoring and Survey Report' released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on April 30 showed that the total number of migrant workers nationwide exceeded 300 million for the first time in 2025, reaching 301.15 million. The average monthly income of migrant workers also surpassed 5,000 yuan for the first time, reaching 5,075 yuan (approximately NT$23,345), an increase of 114 yuan compared to the previous year.
The Economic Observer reported on May 2 that among the industries primarily engaged by migrant workers, the construction industry's average monthly income has ranked first for nearly four years. However, in 2022, the number of migrant workers in construction began to decline continuously, accumulating a decrease of over 14 million over four years, reaching 41.5587 million in 2025.
2022 was also the turning point when China's real estate development investment growth rate turned negative. From 2021 to 2025, the total national real estate development investment decreased by 43.9%, while during the same period, the number of migrant workers in construction decreased by 25.2%.
While the overall number of migrant workers increased, over the past four years, those engaged in manufacturing increased by 5.6541 million, and those in accommodation and catering increased by 2.9622 million. However, incomes in these industries are significantly lower than in construction. In 2025, the average monthly incomes for manufacturing and accommodation/catering were 5,126 and 4,208 yuan, respectively, while construction's average monthly income was 5,880 yuan.
The report also shows that the annual growth rate of migrant workers' average monthly income has slowed in the past four years. The average monthly income growth rate in 2025 was 2.3%, a new low for the past decade, lower than China's GDP growth rate (5%) and the national per capita wage income growth rate (5.3%) in 2025.
In terms of mobility trends, more migrant workers are finding employment within their home provinces. Over the past decade, the number of migrant workers employed across provinces decreased from 76.66 million to 67.65 million, and their proportion of the total migrant worker population fell from 27.21% to 22.46%, a decrease of 9.01 million.
According to the '2023 China Blue-collar Group Employment Research Report' released by the China New Employment Forms Research Center, the cross-provincial flow of blue-collar temporary workers has reversed. 'New blue-collar' workers such as service staff, delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and快递员 (couriers) are more inclined to choose local employment, with the proportion working within their home provinces exceeding 70%. Factory workers, confinement nannies, cleaners, and construction temporary workers are more commonly engaged in cross-provincial movement. (Editor: Lu Jiarong) 1150503
(Central News Agency reporter Zhang Shuling, Beijing, 3rd) The number of migrant workers in China exceeded 300 million for the first time in 2025, reaching 301.15 million. Among the industries they primarily work in, the construction industry had the highest average monthly income, but with the real estate industry hitting rock bottom, the number of migrant workers in construction decreased by 14 million over four years.
Migrant workers refer to laborers whose household registration remains in rural areas and who engage in non-agricultural industries locally or work away from home for six months or more within the year. The employment, wages, and mobility of migrant workers are closely related to China's economic development and social issues.
The '2025 Migrant Worker Monitoring and Survey Report' released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on April 30 showed that the total number of migrant workers nationwide exceeded 300 million for the first time in 2025, reaching 301.15 million. The average monthly income of migrant workers also surpassed 5,000 yuan for the first time, reaching 5,075 yuan (approximately NT$23,345), an increase of 114 yuan compared to the previous year.
The Economic Observer reported on May 2 that among the industries primarily engaged by migrant workers, the construction industry's average monthly income has ranked first for nearly four years. However, in 2022, the number of migrant workers in construction began to decline continuously, accumulating a decrease of over 14 million over four years, reaching 41.5587 million in 2025.
2022 was also the turning point when China's real estate development investment growth rate turned negative. From 2021 to 2025, the total national real estate development investment decreased by 43.9%, while during the same period, the number of migrant workers in construction decreased by 25.2%.
While the overall number of migrant workers increased, over the past four years, those engaged in manufacturing increased by 5.6541 million, and those in accommodation and catering increased by 2.9622 million. However, incomes in these industries are significantly lower than in construction. In 2025, the average monthly incomes for manufacturing and accommodation/catering were 5,126 and 4,208 yuan, respectively, while construction's average monthly income was 5,880 yuan.
The report also shows that the annual growth rate of migrant workers' average monthly income has slowed in the past four years. The average monthly income growth rate in 2025 was 2.3%, a new low for the past decade, lower than China's GDP growth rate (5%) and the national per capita wage income growth rate (5.3%) in 2025.
In terms of mobility trends, more migrant workers are finding employment within their home provinces. Over the past decade, the number of migrant workers employed across provinces decreased from 76.66 million to 67.65 million, and their proportion of the total migrant worker population fell from 27.21% to 22.46%, a decrease of 9.01 million.
According to the '2023 China Blue-collar Group Employment Research Report' released by the China New Employment Forms Research Center, the cross-provincial flow of blue-collar temporary workers has reversed. 'New blue-collar' workers such as service staff, delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and快递员 (couriers) are more inclined to choose local employment, with the proportion working within their home provinces exceeding 70%. Factory workers, confinement nannies, cleaners, and construction temporary workers are more commonly engaged in cross-provincial movement. (Editor: Lu Jiarong) 1150503