Migrant workers carry out construction work on a building site. (Photo/Song Yanjun)

Chongqing - As China pushes ahead with urban development and industrial upgrading, migrant workers remain a key driving force. In southwest China’s Chongqing, the migrant worker population is expected to reach around 7.5 million by 2025, up 1.9 percent from 2020, according to local statistics authorities.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, migrant workers are rural residents who engage in non-agricultural work locally or outside their home region for at least 6 months in a year.

The 2025 National Migrant Worker Monitoring Survey shows that in 2025, China’s total migrant worker population will exceed 300.12 million for the first time, accounting for 41.5% of the 725.04 million employed nationwide, meaning more than two out of every five workers are migrant workers.

As a critical link between urban and rural areas, migrant workers provide low-cost, efficient labor to cities, support the growth of key industries such as manufacturing and construction, and send income back to rural areas, promoting a two-way flow of resources. They are a core force driving China’s industrialization, urbanization, and economic growth.

In Chongqing, migrant workers are mainly employed in construction (21.5%) and manufacturing (23.2%), while jobs in wholesale, retail, and residential services remain stable.

With the city’s economy shifting toward digitalization and green development, the share of migrant workers in the tertiary sector, such as services, rises to 52.4%, up 2.7% from 2020, while employment in the secondary sector, such as manufacturing, drops to 46.8%, down 3.2%.

Average monthly income for migrant workers in Chongqing reaches 4,867 yuan (about 716.21 U.S. dollars) in 2025, up 17%, with those working outside the city seeing a 26% increase.

Education levels among China’s migrant workers remain low, with 65.4% having a junior high school education or less in 2025. In Chongqing, however, investment in education has raised overall educational attainment, with 34.5% of migrant workers now holding a senior high school education or higher, laying the foundation for higher-quality employment.

Social security and living conditions have improved in parallel. By 2025, 98.8% of migrant workers in Chongqing will be enrolled in medical insurance coverage programs, and 80.4% will have pension coverage. Housing, home facilities, and private car ownership have increased, with durable goods penetration exceeding 96%.

Higher income and better security have made life in Chongqing more stable and secure for migrant workers, helping them integrate into urban life. By the end of 2025, 81.5% of migrant workers identified themselves as Chongqing locals, marking a shift from “external laborers” to “city residents.