Greater care for the wellbeing of immigrants would help China attract more high-level talent, according to migration experts.

William Lacy Swing, general director of the International Organization of Migration, said migrants to China remain inadequately integrated into development frameworks at national and local levels.

The organization released the Chinese version of its 2013 World Migration Report in Beijing on May 19, which pointed out that the general well-being of migrants from north to south — from high-income countries to low-income countries — is less satisfactory than of those who migrate from south to north.

According to the report, the number of migrants to China has increased significantly over the past decade. There were 685,775 migrants to China in 2010, up 35 percent from the 2000 figure.

The number of foreigners who hold residence permits in China in 2010 increased about 29 percent from in 2006. Globally, there were 232 million migrants by the end of 2013 — 22 percent of whom were high-skilled workers and 33 percent who were classified as mid-level skilled workers.

The organization invited the Gallup World Poll to examine more than 25,000 migrants in more than 150 countries to assess what life is like for migrants these days, whether they migrate to or between rich countries in the north, or to and between poorer countries in the south.

The survey found that people who move to China have mixed experiences. While their earnings tend to go further in a relatively less expensive environment, they also tend to have fewer social contacts and are less likely to have someone they can count on in emergencies.

China is an increasingly attractive destination for migrants due to its rapid economic growth and demographic changes. Its labor market needs are outstripping supply, which has led to a rise in real wages and a greater demand for foreign labor.

However, despite growing immigration, China’s enormous economic growth is not proportionately reflected in the numbers of foreigners working in the country, the report said.

“Unlike other countries, China lacks an official policy to attract skilled foreign workers,” Swing said.

Par Liljert, head of the liaison office of IOM in China, said China faces difficulties in attracting top talent.

“You have to view it from a holistic point of view and see how the policies can change to give talent mobility more comfort and more welfare,” Liljert said.


Wang Huiyao, director of the Center for China and Globalization, said skilled workers in specific fields are a small pool.

“Compared to Chinese skilled workers who migrate abroad, China attracts very few people,” he said.

“China has to offer a competitive complete package of incentives to attract foreign experts and skilled overseas Chinese.

“The Whole whole package needs to not only include salary, but also personal growth and political and social environments,” he said.


FACTBOX

According to the International Organization for Migration, by 2013, there were 232 million migrants worldwide. Twenty-two percent were highly skilled and 33 percent had intermediate skills.

According to IOM, labor migration (workers and families) accounts for 90 percent of total migration worldwide.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, roughly two-thirds of immigrants live in high-income countries, a proportion that has changed little since 2008. In the last 30 years, “immigrant density” (proportion of foreign-born per capita) in high-income countries has doubled to almost 9 percent of the population.

The top-sending countries of migrant entrepreneurs were India (33.2 percent of total migrant entrepreneurs) and China (8.1 percent), according to America’s New Immigrant Entrepreneurs.

According to China’s Ministry of Education, in 2013, the number of overseas Chinese who returned to China with a foreign education reached 353,000, an increase of 29.5 percent over the previous year.