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Residential Mobility of Skilled Migrants in Nanjing, China

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  • Can Cui
  • Stan Geertman
  • Pieter Hooimeijer

Abstract

Economic restructuring and the dramatic expansion of higher education have generated large migration flows of skilled employees to Chinese cities. The residential mobility of skilled migrants has a large impact on the operation of housing and labour markets and the (re)production of social inequities. In this paper we examine the effects of life-course trajectories and institutional factors on the residential mobility of skilled migrants, in comparison with local skilled workers in Nanjing, using a retrospective survey conducted in 2012. Results show that skilled migrants have a higher level of residential mobility than their local counterparts, and that this difference arises from the locals' early entry into homeownership. Yet, migrants and locals also share similarities: market factors that are closely related to household, labour, and housing careers are decisive in explaining the residential mobility of skilled workers, indicating that life-course theories are also applicable in the Chinese context. The impacts of traditional institutional factors, such as hukou , employer type, and Chinese Communist Party membership, are of a much smaller magnitude, indicating that markets have become dominant institutions in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Can Cui & Stan Geertman & Pieter Hooimeijer, 2015. "Residential Mobility of Skilled Migrants in Nanjing, China," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 47(3), pages 625-642, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:47:y:2015:i:3:p:625-642
    DOI: 10.1068/a140079p
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aida Caldera Sánchez & Dan Andrews, 2011. "Residential Mobility and Public Policy in OECD Countries," OECD Journal: Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2011(1), pages 1-22.
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    5. Coulter, Rory & van Ham, Maarten & Findlay, Allan M., 2013. "New Directions for Residential Mobility Research: Linking Lives through Time and Space," IZA Discussion Papers 7525, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    Cited by:

    1. Ye Liu & Jianfa Shen & Wei Xu & Guixin Wang, 2017. "From school to university to work: migration of highly educated youths in China," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(3), pages 651-676, November.

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