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

Chunshan Zhou, Ming Li, Guojun Zhang, Yuqu Wang and Song Liu
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Chunshan Zhou: School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, 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

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-16

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.

Keywords: migrant worker; household consumption; skilled migrant; labor migrant; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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