Timely, full payments for migrant workers should be prioritized, Premier Li Keqiang said at the State Council executive meeting on Jan 9.

Noting the great contributions of 280 million migrant workers to China’s development, Premier Li said that addressing the issue of wage arrears for migrant workers is essential not only for protecting their legitimate rights, but also for the country’s development.

Priority should be given to delayed wages from government investment projects, because it will seriously damage the government’s image, the Premier said, calling for efforts to solve the issue.

Enterprises should pay withheld wages within a set timeframe or face serious penalties, he added.

The Premier urged relevant departments to step up investigations to ensure migrant workers get paid before returning home for Spring Festival.

There are various reasons for withheld wages of migrant workers, and departments at all levels must establish long-term mechanisms to handle this problem, he said.