BEIJING — China will take more targeted measures to ensure stable job createion, including encouraging online hiring, providing financial support for small firms, as well as expanding recruitment in basic education and community services, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the employment.

Measures such as arranging online job fairs and providing employment training services have been unveiled to boost job-seeking of key employment groups including college graduates and rural migrant workers, said You Jun, vice minister of human resources and social security, at a press conference on Feb 28.

The ministry will further expand employment channels and enhance online hiring services for college graduates, whose number is expected to hit a record 8.74 million this year, according to You.

In addition, it will adopt more targeted moves to create job opportunities for college graduates in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, he said.

Meanwhile, "point-to-point" direct trainings have been arranged for rural migrant workers to help them return to cities and alleviate labor shortages in some eastern areas.

China has decided to temporarily exempt social insurance payments and defer the collection of housing provident funds to mitigate the impact of the outbreak on enterprises and ensure stable employment.

The Ministry of Education has also beefed up efforts to help college graduates find jobs amid the employment pressure due to the epidemic.

To provide more job opportunities, the country will expand recruitment in basic education, primary-level medical care and community services, said vice education minister Weng Tiehui at the press conference.

At the same time, more preferential measures will be rolled out to encourage graduates both to join the army and to find jobs at the community level.

Educators were also asked to provide personal employment guidance to every student and help them plan for their future careers.