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Migration for Better Jobs or Better Living: Shifts in China

Author

Listed:
  • Shuo Yang

    (School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Tianheng Shu

    (School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Taofang Yu

    (School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract

Traditionally, studies of mobility follow two main strands: migration driven by better jobs and by better living. However, the interactions and shifts between them are rarely addressed. In the largest-scale domestic migration, millions of Chinese movers have experienced changes in migration motivations in the past ten years. Starting with migration patterns, we attempt to explore the interaction and changes in migration motivations in a dynamic way and relate them to the evolution of socio-economic contexts. Based on the latest two population censuses (2010 and 2020) in mainland China, we built an empirical model attributing migration motivations to job and living conditions, and then estimated the model by ordinary least squares (OLS) and quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) methods. The results reveal that employment is the primary and fundamental factor, though its impact is weakening. Good living is becoming significantly influential in migration willingness, and there is an interactive effect between the factors of job and living. Furthermore, we offer an explanation of the motivation evolution as being migrants’ response to socio-economic status to maximize their utility. This study contributes to the migration literature from a longitudinal lens, and appeals to a continuous focus on migration evolution in the scientific research on population geography.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuo Yang & Tianheng Shu & Taofang Yu, 2022. "Migration for Better Jobs or Better Living: Shifts in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14576-:d:964973
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoxuan Zhang & John Gibson, 2024. "How well do gridded population estimates proxy for actual population changes? Evidence from four gridded data products and three censuses for China," Working Papers in Economics 24/07, University of Waikato.

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