In recent years, with the sluggish growth of the Chinese economy and the spread of layoffs, more and more young people are fleeing from first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and returning to central cities in Northeast China. However, these young people have found that after returning to their hometowns, although the cost of living in the Northeast is low, there are not enough stable jobs, leading them to fall into the dilemma of “affordable living but unable to make money”.
After fighting in Beijing for nearly ten years, 33-year-old Feng Jingyuan returned to Shenyang last year after experiencing wage arrears and layoffs. She said she had no other choice and no savings, so coming back at least meant having her parents to rely on, and she didn’t have to pay rent herself.
She thought the cost of living in Shenyang would be lower, and life could be easier, but during the job search process, she found that the quality of jobs was not as expected. Many job postings online in Shenyang indicate salaries ranging from “5000 to 10,000 RMB”, mostly based on commissions, with single days off and invisible overtime being “hidden terms”.
Feng Jingyuan is able to temporarily stay in Shenyang largely relying on her parents to help cover rent and pay social security. She said, “If I had a choice, I would definitely prefer to move back south.”
A couple who returned from Nanjing to Shenyang also had similar experiences. After the wife Xiao Yu was transferred back to Shenyang for work, her husband Xiao Zhao could not find a suitable job in Shenyang and had to stay in Nanjing. Xiao Yu is about to give birth, and Xiao Zhao is anxious but helpless. In his view, besides positions in state-owned enterprises, institutions, and civil service in Shenyang, most other jobs are “low-paying and tiring”, not suitable for young people to stay in.
It is reported that in recent years, the industrial structure in Northeast China has been continuously adjusted, but industries such as robotics, intelligent manufacturing, aerospace, and integrated circuits mainly require talents in research and technology, making it difficult to absorb people with different educational backgrounds and skills on a large scale.
In response to this, a mainland economic professor analyzed that the core driving force of population migration has always been employment and income. When the income from outside areas is not enough to offset the cost of rent, high living expenses, and the cost of being away from family, returning to hometowns is a rational choice. However, lower living expenses can only reduce the threshold for returning home, but cannot provide a reason to stay. “Without a job, there is no income, and there is no talk of a high-quality life.”