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Family migration in China: Do migrant children affect parental settlement intention?

Author

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  • Wang, Chunchao
  • Zhang, Chenglei
  • Ni, Jinlan
  • Zhang, Haifeng
  • Zhang, Junsen

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of migrant children in the permanent settlement intention of their parents. Using two independent survey datasets on Chinese internal migration, we examine whether and how migrant children-related factors are associated with migrant parents’ intention of permanent urban settlement. Our results show that parents with migrant children are more likely to settle in a destination city permanently than those without. The probability of permanent urban settlement intention of parents with migrant children is 49% higher than those without. The results are robust to a series of sensitivity tests. Potential channels for the findings are also explored.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Chunchao & Zhang, Chenglei & Ni, Jinlan & Zhang, Haifeng & Zhang, Junsen, 2019. "Family migration in China: Do migrant children affect parental settlement intention?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 416-428.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:47:y:2019:i:2:p:416-428
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2019.01.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Mingzhi Mao & Lijun Zang & Haifeng Zhang, 2020. "The Effects of Parental Absence on Children Development: Evidence from Left-Behind Children in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Yang Chen & Hongsheng Chen & Jinhua Liu, 2019. "Household Split, Income, and Migrants’ Life Satisfaction: Social Problems Caused by Rapid Urbanization in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Li Han & Wenjian Xu, 2022. "Communication or Alienation? Relationship Between Negative Life Events and Mental Health of Left-Behind Children in Rural China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3559-3577, December.
    5. Jin, Zhangfeng & Zhang, Junsen, 2023. "Access to local citizenship and internal migration in a developing country: Evidence from a Hukou reform in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 181-215.
    6. Anqi Yu & Guankun Liu & Yuning Gao, 2022. "Intergenerational Occupational Mobility, Labor Migration and Sustained Demographic Dividends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-21, March.
    7. Yuqu Wang & Zehong Wang & Chunshan Zhou & Ying Liu & Song Liu, 2020. "On the Settlement of the Floating Population in the Pearl River Delta: Understanding the Factors of Permanent Settlement Intention versus Housing Purchase Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-20, November.
    8. C. Cindy Fan & Tianjiao Li, 2020. "Split Households, Family Migration and Urban Settlement: Findings from China’s 2015 National Floating Population Survey," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 252-263.
    9. Wen, Christine, 2020. "Educating rural migrant children in interior China: The promise and pitfall of low-fee private schools," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Zicheng Wang & Yun Lou & Yi Zhou, 2020. "Bargaining Power or Specialization? Determinants of Household Decision Making in Chinese Rural Migrant Families," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, December.
    11. Zhang, Haifeng & Zang, Lijun & Mao, Mingzhi & Guo, Jiqiang & Wang, Chunchao, 2023. "The externalities of preschool attendees in middle school classes," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Ying Liu & Rongrong Zhang & Ming Li & Chunshan Zhou, 2020. "What Factors Influence Rural-To-Urban Migrant Peasants to Rent out Their Household Farmland? Evidence from China’s Pearl River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-19, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Family migration; Children; Settlement intention; Endogeneity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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