How China’s “floating population” floats: Recent patterns in migrant workers’ spatial mobility and destination choice

Abstract

This chapter estimates the effect of individual and regional attributes on income and job prestige using an original data set containing detailed working histories of approximately 2,300 temporary rural-to-urban migrants. Migrant worker job transitions are examined through time, as well as associated changes in prestige scores. An augmented Mincer model is utilized to explore the extent to which personal characteristics and job history determine earnings. Returns to education and work experience are estimated and compared with data sets on urban resident. The results highlight gender segregation in occupational structure and patterns of change, but show no overall difference in the average p..