Migrant workers earn more than back at home, but the price they pay can be huge.

According to a poll released on Friday, only 39.4 per cent of women migrants take their children with them to the cities. While nearly 88 per cent of the separated mothers and children meet only once or twice a year, with the rest having to wait longer for a family reunion.

The survey, conducted by the All-China Women's Federation, interviewed 995 women migrants in 10 cities around the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Xiamen. The respondents were from rural areas in 26 provinces.

An earlier survey by the federation indicated that around 20 million children were left behind in rural areas by their parents. In some places, the percentage of left-behind children was almost one-quarter of all children.

The survey released on Friday suggests that nearly 60 per cent of respondents worry about the health, education and morality of their children.

Besides, women migrants feel other pressures in their urban lives. Low incomes, unemployment, inadequate professional training and illness are their greatest worries.

But the urban experiences did benefit rural families.

Their average annual family income was 19,229 yuan (US$2,400) in 2005, compared to only 8,551 yuan (US$1,070) before they left the countryside.

Income from urban jobs accounted for more than 40 per cent of the income growth.

Source: China Daily