Foxconn, the world’s largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China, is hiring and retaining more workers as it prepares for the launch of iPhone 15. The new model is expected to be unveiled by the US-based tech giant Apple in September.

Foxconn, the Taiwan-based Apple supplier, is offering higher pay and bonuses to workers at its Zhengzhou plant in China, where it makes most of the iPhones. The move comes ahead of the expected launch of iPhone 15 in September and shows Foxconn’s commitment to keep making iPhones in China despite Apple’s efforts to diversify its supply chain.

New workers at the Zhengzhou plant can get up to $424 in bonuses and $3 per hour if they stay for at least 90 days, according to a WeChat announcement by Foxconn’s iPhone production unit over the weekend. Existing workers can also get a referral bonus of $71 if they bring someone who stays for a month, reported BBC. This is the second time this month that Foxconn has increased worker benefits, according to SCMP.

The Zhengzhou plant, also known as iPhone City, employs more than 200,000 workers and produces about 80 per cent of the world’s iPhones. However, the plant faced disruptions last year due to China’s strict Covid policy, which led Apple to lose revenue and Foxconn to expand its production in India and Vietnam.

The plant also saw protests by workers over Covid restrictions, overdue pay, and lack of food and medicine. However, Foxconn’s CEO said the company has no plans to leave its Chengdu base in China and opened a new global business base in Zhengzhou earlier this year, reported SCMP.