Over 5,000 jobseekers swarmed to a Shenzhen's government-sponsored job fair for migrant workers over the weekend.

The job fair, which offered 3,190 vacancies, was the first of the 21 free job fairs to be held in February, when migrant workers return to the city to look for jobs after the Spring Festival.

Most vacancies offered a monthly salary of between 800 and 1,200 yuan (US$148.14). Some 60 percent of the vacancies required at least nine years of schooling. Some 9 percent of the positions even required a college degree. Both the salaries and qualification requirements were higher than last year, said sources with the municipal labor bureau.

Huang Chaowu, 23, said the government-sponsored job fair made him feel secure. Huang, who had been in Shenzhen for four years, said he was once cheated by an illegal job agency.

"The life of migrant workers is not easy. New comers are often cheated by illegal job agents who charge high commissions but do not introduce them a job. The government-sponsored job fairs are much more trust-worthy," said Huang.

(Shenzhen Daily February 13, 2006)