Let the numbers tell the story. Just in Guangdong province, there are shortages of 800,000 workers in Shenzhen, 200,000 in Guangzhou, and 150,000 in Quanzhou. Up north in Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, that number has hit a million, according to labor bureaus.

The steaming hot labor market has turned 180 degrees from a year ago, when factories laid off millions of workers. For the time being, at least, it looks like many of the migrant workers who lost their jobs and went back to their home villages are not returning to the host cities.

"You can walk into any factory and get a job," a New York Times report quoted a 22-year-old plastics worker in Guangzhou saying.

Manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group said it had 50,000 vacant positions after the Chinese New Year. In order to solve the problem, the company told Xinhua News Agency, a referral system was put in place, with on-site recruitment open even during the holidays.

Companies and government officials expect more migrant workers to return after the Feb. 28 Lantern Festival. Shenzhen city is planning to organize 573 job fairs in the next two months.