A Full Analysis of the Difficulties Faced by Older Migrant Workers and the Countermeasures

Since 2016, the employment problems triggered by the slowdown in economic growth and the social problems brought about by population aging have been the focus of attention across society. Yet when these problems are discussed, a huge disadvantaged group has not received the attention it deserves: the 50 million migrant workers over the age of 50. They are old and physically declining, the industries they work in are generally in recession, the pressure to support their families keeps growing, and the problem of old-age support is imminent. Whether from the perspective of maintaining social stability or from that of achieving the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, the issue of older migrant workers needs attention as early as possible, and society needs to work together to propose countermeasures.

Older migrant workers number close to 50 million and face difficulties

As time has passed, the total number and age structure of migrant workers have undergone fundamental changes over the years: the growth rate of migrant workers has slowed year by year, and the age structure has kept aging. According to the National Bureau of Statistics' "Survey Report on the Monitoring of Migrant Workers," the total number of migrant workers rose from 253 million in 2011 to 277 million in 2015, yet the growth rate fell sharply year by year from 4.4% to 1.3%; the average age of migrant workers increased from 36 to 38.6 years old; and older migrant workers over 50 grew from 36.14 million to 49.66 million (their share rising from 14.5% to 17.9%), with an average annual growth rate as high as 8.27%.

Physical decline causes the employment competitiveness of older migrant workers to plummet. Older migrant workers are the first generation of migrant workers after reform and opening up; they generally have a low level of education and lack skills, so they can only engage in heavy manual labor in industries such as construction and mining over the long term. Many older migrant workers face serious health problems because of high-intensity labor; their physical strength declines at an accelerating rate with age, and the risk of workplace injuries increases, which makes most employers unwilling to hire older migrant workers.

Traditional industries face enormous downward pressure, while the employment threshold of emerging industries is relatively high, leaving older migrant workers in a dilemma. As key industries for migrant worker employment, manufacturing and construction remain in recession, and the overall employment environment for migrant workers is not optimistic. Although the new economy has created many jobs, their low skills make it difficult for older migrant workers to obtain positions in the new economy. Statistics show that older migrant workers over 50 are the group with the lowest proportion of skills training among migrant workers; in 2013 and 2012, the proportion of them receiving training was only 25.9% and 25.5% respectively, which further amplifies the skills disadvantage of older migrant workers.

It is difficult for them to enjoy employee old-age pensions, and the problem of older migrant workers having no support in old age is imminent. Most older migrant workers were not included in the social security network before the Labor Contract Law took effect in 2008, and their current participation rate remains very low. The old-age support problem is even more thorny for older migrant workers who are nearing or have exceeded retirement age: many of those nearing retirement have difficulty paying pension insurance for a full 15 years, and whether an employment relationship exists when those over retirement age continue to work is constantly disputed in judicial practice.

The problems of older migrant workers urgently require all parties to work together to solve them

Older migrant workers over 50 will soon break through the 50 million mark, and the problems faced by this huge group should draw great attention from society. Most older migrant workers not only find it difficult to continue working in declining traditional industries, but also cannot obtain positions in emerging industries. They often still have to shoulder the economic burden of an entire family. Older migrant workers who have been informally employed for a long time will find it very difficult to enjoy urban employee old-age pension benefits in the future. For poor older migrant workers, being able to keep working and earning income now is more urgent than the future problem of old-age support, but the old-age support problem is already close at hand, and these two problems need to be considered in a coordinated way.

Older migrant workers still have a strong demand for employment, and strengthening skills training and increasing the supply of jobs are the breakthrough points for solving their employment difficulties. First, labor training departments need to formulate targeted labor skills training programs according to the characteristics of older migrant workers, and lower the threshold for their integration into the new economy through necessary mobile internet application training. Second, promote large-scale agricultural operations and agricultural industrialization through multiple channels, establish an efficient and practical agricultural technology training system, and encourage older migrant workers to return to their hometowns for employment and income generation. Third, improve the precision of poverty alleviation policies and ensure that unemployed older migrant workers in genuine difficulty can receive timely assistance.

The old-age support problem of older migrant workers should be addressed at the institutional level as early as possible. First, it is recommended that the state allocate special funds to help solve the difficulty of older migrant workers having insufficient contribution years. Second, establish as soon as possible a platform for the accumulation, settlement, and transfer payment of migrant workers' individual pension insurance accounts, so as to activate the funds in individual pension accounts scattered across many places. Finally, effectively protect the right of older migrant workers to obtain income from homestead land and contracted land, so that land can become the last barrier for the old-age support of older migrant workers.