The Retirement Migration Puzzle in China

Simiao Chen, Zhangfeng Jin () and Klaus Prettner

No 463, GLO Discussion Paper Series from Global Labor Organization (GLO)

Abstract: We examine whether and how retirement affects migration decisions in China. Using a regression discontinuity (RD) design approach combined with a nationally representative sample of 228,855 adults aged between 40 and 75, we find that retirement increases the probability of migration by 12.9 percentage points. Approximately 38% of the total migration effects can be attributed to inter-temporal substitution (delayed migration). Retirement-induced migrants are lower-educated and have restricted access to social security. Household-level migration decisions can reconcile different migration responses across gender. Retirees migrate for risk sharing and family protection mechnisms, reducing market production of their families in the receiving households.

Keywords: Retirement; Migration decision; Regression discontinuity design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J14 J26 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-cna, nep-lma, nep-mig, nep-tra and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The retirement migration puzzle in China (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:glodps:463

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