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Heterogeneity of Internal Migrant Household Consumption in Host Cities: A Comparison of Skilled Migrants and Labor Migrants in China

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  • Chunshan Zhou

    (School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China
    Key Laboratory of the Sustainable, Development of Xinjiang’s Historical and Cultural Tourism, Urumqi 830049, China)

  • Ming Li

    (School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China)

  • Guojun Zhang

    (School of Public Administration, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, No.21 Luntou Road, Guangzhou 510320, China)

  • Yuqu Wang

    (School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China)

  • Song Liu

    (School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China)

Abstract

Improvements in migrant families’ consumption are crucial to economic development after the economic crisis. With China’s participation in economic globalization, industrial transformation and college enrolment expansion, a new type of migrant worker has emerged, skilled migrants, who have attained a college diploma or above and whose consumption behaviors differ from traditional labor migrants because education helps to improve the income and consumption structure. This study uses comparative analysis and Tobit model to examine differences in income and consumption patterns, and determinants of consumption between skilled migrant and labor migrant households. Education helps to increase income and alter consumption behaviors. The income and consumption levels of skilled migrant households are significantly higher than the levels of labor migrant households, and the propensity to consume among skilled migrant households is higher than among labor migrant households. Moreover, the consumption structure of skilled migrant households is more advanced than that of labor migrant households. Education indirectly influences consumption by influencing economic, familial, individual, settlement intention, and social security factors. These factors have different effects on skilled migrant and labor migrant household consumption. Authorities should improve the education level and social welfare system to cover migrant households, especially for low-income labor migrants, to improve their consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Chunshan Zhou & Ming Li & Guojun Zhang & Yuqu Wang & Song Liu, 2020. "Heterogeneity of Internal Migrant Household Consumption in Host Cities: A Comparison of Skilled Migrants and Labor Migrants in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7650-:d:414538
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. 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.
    3. Junjie Gao & Lyubing Feng & Xianguo Yao, 2021. "Information Transmission Mechanism of Inequality of Opportunity and Effort on Settlement Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Chunshan Zhou & Ming Li & Guojun Zhang & Jing Chen & Rongrong Zhang & Yongwang Cao, 2021. "Spatiotemporal characteristics and determinants of internal migrant population distribution in China from the perspective of urban agglomerations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(2), pages 1-19, February.

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