(Yicai) May 10 -- The average age of migrant workers in China has increased by nine years over the past 16 years, mainly because of the country's aging population and rising urbanization.

Chinese migrant workers' average age was 43 years in 2023, compared with 34 years in 2008, according to the migrant workers monitoring survey system report the National Bureau of Statistics released earlier this month. The number of migrant workers reached 297 million last year, up 0.6 percent from a year earlier and over 30 percent from 2008.

The ratio of migrant workers aged 40 and below dropped to 45 percent last year from 70 percent 16 years ago, according to the report. That of those aged 50 and above rose to 31 percent from 12 percent in 2010.

The increasing age of migrant workers is attributed to two factors, analysts noted. First, China is experiencing a gradual deepening of population aging. Second, with the growing education level of rural residents and the continuous advancement of urbanization, some migrant workers' children have become permanent city residents. 

The proportion of migrant workers in the tertiary industry has continued to rise after surpassing the secondary industry in 2018, reaching 54 percent last year. That of those in the manufacturing sector was 28 percent and in the construction industry was 15.4 percent, compared with 37 percent and 13.8 percent in 2008, respectively.

The monthly income of migrant workers in all six major industries increased last year from 2022, jumping 1.8 percent to CNY4,780 (USD660) in the manufacturing sector and 2.4 percent to CNY5,488 in the construction industry.

The NBS set up the migrant workers monitoring survey system in 2008 to accurately reflect the scale, migration patterns, and distribution of migrant workers in China. The survey is conducted every three months.

Editor: Martin Kadiev