In various parts of China, a trend of migrant workers returning to their hometowns ahead of schedule has caught the attention of high-level officials of the Chinese Communist Party. Authorities are concerned that unemployed migrant workers could become dissatisfied with their living conditions, leading to a chain reaction of protests and potentially widespread unrest. In response to this situation, insiders revealed that the central government has instructed local authorities to enhance monitoring and prevent social disturbances. According to officials in Hunan, local governments at the district and county levels have been notified to strengthen surveillance and “enhance monitoring of the sentiments of returning migrant workers” to detect any signs of discontent and prevent potential mass incidents.
By the end of 2025, migrant workers from Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, and other regions have returned to their hometowns prematurely. Some workers have even posted messages on social media about being unemployed, stating their intent to leave the cities and seek survival back in their villages. On November 13, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the CPC convened a meeting in Chuxiong, Yunnan, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the scale of migrant workers who have lifted themselves out of poverty. Local authorities were urged to continue implementing specific actions to facilitate the return of migrant workers to their hometowns, preventing the formation of large-scale stagnant migrant populations.
A veteran mainland Chinese media figure and former journalist of the Communist Party’s official newspaper, Mr. Huang, expressed his views to Epoch Times during a recent interview. He mentioned that the massive return of migrant workers to their hometowns poses a potential threat to the current social order, prompting the CCP regime to take stringent precautions. Mr. Huang remarked, “Since I started working in this field, I have covered the Spring Festival migration of migrant workers every year. Back then, migrant workers returning home for the Lunar New Year were full of joy, having earned in just a month in the city what they couldn’t earn in a year in the countryside. However, the situation has now changed.”
He pointed out that current migrant workers are returning home with feelings of disappointment, anxiety, and helplessness. Mr. Huang emphasized, “Rather than returning home for the Spring Festival, it’s more accurate to say that they are coming back because they can’t find jobs in the city anymore. The factories are closing down, hotels are not hiring. The authorities are aware that the current massive return of migrant workers is fundamentally different from previous situations. They might be viewed as a source of threat to the regime, and authorities have every reason to take strict preventive measures.”
Earlier, scholars mentioned that there are approximately 300 million farmers in China, with 130 million of them working in cities. Researchers from Beijing Institute of Technology specializing in rural issues highlighted that with the contraction of the manufacturing sector and reduction of urban job opportunities, the proportion of migrant workers returning to their hometowns has increased. However, the limited employment opportunities and land resources in rural areas have resulted in a continuous rise in the number of trapped populations.
A source within the Communist Party system in Hunan revealed that local authorities have begun registering and visiting returning individuals to understand their sources of income and family pressures after receiving notifications a few days ago. The official mentioned, “Tens of millions of migrant workers are returning home for the New Year, and some of them couldn’t find jobs in the city. Yet, they are facing even bleaker prospects in the countryside. Local governments at the district and county levels have already been instructed to ‘strengthen monitoring of the sentiments of returning migrant workers,’ in order to prevent mass incidents.”
The unnamed official added that in Changde, Hunan, returning workers have discovered that the lands they once cultivated have been subleased, posing complications in the land transfer arrangements. He stated, “These migrant workers have no way to terminate the contracts with the lessees, which is affecting the incomes of some families. In Yueyang and Yiyang, returning individuals have raised land-related issues at the village committees, requesting solutions for cultivation arrangements. However, the village committees have struggled to mediate.”
Ms. Li, a resident of Niutun Town, Huaxian County, Henan Province, expressed to reporters that many young and strong farmers have left their villages long ago. Even if they return to the countryside, they are not willing to work on the land. She remarked, “Many young people from our villages have left to work in the cities. When they return during the holidays, they find that our lands have already been transferred, and there are no opportunities for them to work. What are they supposed to do when they return?”
Another insider mentioned that currently, a large number of people are stuck in a situation where they cannot return to the cities and are unable to make a living in the countryside, creating pressure on local governments. The source highlighted, “When tens of millions of migrant workers return to their hometowns and find no way out, there’s a risk of prolonged stay and potential disturbances. Local governments are very concerned, and the central government is even more worried.”
He further explained that the Communist Party fears that these “stranded” migrant workers in their hometowns could organize collective protests, which has become a focal point of recent concerns for public security departments across different regions. One of the reasons being that many major political upheavals in Chinese history originated from rural areas, and today, rural regions possess conditions such as population concentration and lack of livelihoods, which could foster so-called “turmoil”.
Following the end of the pandemic, many individuals are flocking back to cities in search of employment. However, the weakening urban economy, halted construction sites, quiet factories, and shrinking service industry have led to a noticeable shortage in job opportunities. Economic analysts have pointed out that post-pandemic, there is a significant number of people in urban areas unable to secure regular employment, a majority of whom are migrant workers.
An academic scholar, who used the alias Song Hao, in Beijing mentioned that since the 1990s, China’s rural areas have progressively urbanized, with rural land being converted into commercial properties in cities, pushing farmers to become urban residents without acquiring the necessary job skills. After a transition of over two decades, the current migrant workers are heavily reliant on urban jobs. Responding to questions from reporters, Song Hao commented, “The income structure of migrant workers is highly dependent on urban employment. Once they return to their hometowns and struggle to find new job opportunities, it could intensify the governance pressures in local areas. If the scale of return to hometowns continues to expand, rural areas will face more significant challenges with livelihoods and social instability.”
He highlighted the CCP’s concern that these “trapped” migrant workers staying in their hometowns could potentially spark group protests, which has become a critical focus for public security departments recently. One of the underlying fears is that several past significant political upheavals in China originated in rural areas.