Labor migration, human capital agglomeration and regional development in China

Yuming Fu and Stuart Gabriel

Regional Science and Urban Economics, 2012, vol. 42, issue 3, 473-484

Abstract: We estimate a skill-based directional migration model to assess the effects of regional human capital agglomeration on labor migration in China. Upon accounting for regional differentials in skill-based compensation, cost-of-living, amenities, and the like, model estimates indicate the importance of destination human capital concentration to high-skill migrants. In marked contrast, low-skill migrants are found to have little incentive to co-locate with high-skill workers, likely reflecting institutional and other impediments to human capital investment among low-skill migrants. Research findings suggest the importance of human capital agglomeration benefits to disparate regional growth trajectories in China.

Keywords: Internal migration; Human capital; Economic development; Chinese economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 J31 J61 O15 O18 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (71)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:regeco:v:42:y:2012:i:3:p:473-484

DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2011.08.006

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