Floating population: migration with(out) family and the spatial distribution of economic activity

Clément Imbert, Joan Monras, Marlon Seror and Yanos Zylberberg

No 18418, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: This paper argues that migrants' decision to bring their dependent family members shapes their consumption behavior, their choice of destination, and their sensitivity to migration barriers. We develop and estimate, using Chinese data, a quantitative general equilibrium spatial model in which rural workers choose whether, how (with or without their family), where to migrate, and how to allocate their consumption across space. The model rationalizes the empirical evidence: Rural migrants disproportionately move to expensive, unwelcoming cities, live without their family, and remit substantially. We quantify the role of migration frictions (e.g., hukou policies) in explaining these patterns and show that, by changing the relative value of consumption across space, they contribute to the rise of non-family migration and to the emergence of mega-cities.

JEL-codes: J61 O15 R12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-09
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Working Paper: Floating Population: Migration With(Out) Family and the Spatial Distribution of Economic Activity (2023)
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