A bird's eye view of the New Science and Education Town in Taicang [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Taicang, a county-level city in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, has rolled out a plan to attract 30,000 skilled workers in three years, local media reported on June 10.

The 3-year plan includes first-visit subsidies, first-year living subsidies, new talent introduction policies, and a new project to improve the living environment for skilled workers.

Those who come to Taicang for a job interview can apply for subsidies of up to 400 yuan ($56.37) on WeChat to cover their travel and accommodation expenses.

Bai Guochao, HR at Zhixing Robot Technology (Taicang) Co, was keen on hiring East China University of Technology graduate Wang Kaiwen.

As a resident of faraway Nanchang, Jiangxi province, Wang was hesitant to visit, but then he learned about the first-visit subsidy, booked his trip, passed the interview, and decided to stay.

"I am impressed by how easy it is to get the subsidy, it really shows the city's sincerity and enthusiasm," said Wang.

Wang will also qualify for first-year living subsidies as long as his social insurance has been paid for six consecutive months. For graduates and post-graduates from first-class universities, the amount is 30,000-50,000 yuan.

In addition, the subsidy has no requirements in terms of the applicant's age, company size, nor what industry they are in.