Shanghai has announced two measures for alleviating the financial burden on seven key industries seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure employment stability.

Enterprises in catering, retail, tourism, transportation, culture and entertainment, hospitality and the exhibition industries will enjoy employment-related subsidies if they haven't laid off employees or reduced their job cuts last year.

Enterprises that have kept their layoff rate within 5.5 percent, the national target for unemployment rate control last year, can apply for 600 yuan (US$90) of subsidies per employee. Each enterprise can receive up to 3 million yuan.