Shanghai Daily news

Ayis from Anhui Province will come to the city to make up for a large supply shortage in the local employment market during the Spring Festival in February.
"We have an agreement with the labor authorities in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, and are advertising in local media for domestic helpers to come to Shanghai," said Li Rong, general manager of Shanghai Laibang Household Service, one member of the Shanghai Housekeeping Service Trade Association.
"These new comers, after receiving basic training for about one week, will mainly become full-time maids to take care of elderly people and children at home."
So far, about 70 people have applied for a post in Shanghai and the first batch of more than 100 ayis are expected to arrive by the end of this month, according to the association.
Since many of the current in-service ayis, who mostly come from the rural areas in nearby Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, will return home to celebrate the nation's most important traditional festival, there will be at least 30,000 to 50,000 local families in need of a domestic helper during the Spring Festival.
Although several of the association's member companies, such as Laibang, Shujin and Jinguoyuan, recruited 500 new employees after last year's National Day holiday for this Spring Festival, all of them were booked up on arrival.
Higher salaries are necessary to keep the ayis at work and attract more new employees, Li said, adding that the monthly pay might be increased by 20 percent during the festival.
Currently, the salary for a trained junior domestic helper is around 800 yuan (US$96) a month, 1,000 yuan for a secondary level maid, and 1,200 yuan or more for an experienced helper.
Those anhui ayis can gain at least 1,000 yuan, Li said. Besides, they will be provided integrated insurance free of charge, no less than two days of holiday per month, and free trip to their hometown once a year after they have spent a year on the job.
Actually, compared to the same period last year, local ayi's salaries have grown by about 50 percent, from 600 yuan to the current 1,000 yuan on average, the trade association said yesterday.