This paper examines changes in the situation and circumantances surrounding the rural migrant workers in China using data from a survey of 765 rural migrant workers in four cities and some rural villages in east and central China conducted by Wuhan University. Results show that current living conditions for rural migrant workers have been improved effectively, especially their wages increased notably, and the wage default problem has been alleviated, government services offered to the migrant workers have also been improved. However, the plight of rural migrant workers has not changed radically, and especially their strong wishes to become legal urban residents are still far from true. Therefore, as further carrying out the policies settling the problems of rural migrant workers, there is a need to make innovations, both institutionally and economically, to eliminate barriers that prevent rural migrant workers from becoming legal urban residents.