Hong Kong, December 22:

China has urged local authorities to help find jobs for hundreds of thousands of migrant workers reported to be flooding home after being forced out of work by the global financial crisis.

The government yesterday warned provincial authorities that the plight of migrant workers was a “pressing” issue as domestic companies are suffering from the crisis, said a statement published on the cabinet’s website.

State media have reported in recent weeks that factory closures have sent large numbers of migrant workers returning to their homes in the countryside from the cities where they had flocked to find jobs. The official Xinhua news agency said about 300,000 people have returned to the eastern province of Jiangxi, 400,000 to Anhui province and 700,000 to Hubei, as the New Year and spring holidays approach. There are about 210 million migrant workers in China, according to official figures.

“Governments should step up supervision on wage payment to ensure workers receive their wages in time, create more job opportunities and provide vocational training,” the statement said.

It urged banks to offer favourable terms to new businesses and said local governments should

promote small and mid-size companies to absorb the flood of migrant workers and support their families.