Understanding the migration of highly and less-educated labourers in post-reform China

The paper investigates the evolution pattern and determinants of China's interprovincial highly and less-educated migrations between 2000 and 2015. It reveals that the concentration of the highly educated migrants in Eastern China maintained an uneven distribution pattern of the highly educated population. However, the circulation of the less-educated migrants between eastern and other parts of China responded to a consistent and even distribution pattern of the less-educated population. The spatial concentration degree of the migration of highly educated labourers prevailed over the less-educated, although it saw a dispersion trend over time. The econometric results indicate that the migration of highly educated labourers is more related to regional amenities (natural comfort and public services supplies) and the wage disparity, while government-led development policies represented by national and provincial development zones are more influential for the less-educated. The friction of distance and social ties still play a role in the migration of the two types of migrations. The findings suggest developing targeted policies for highly and less-educated migrants to optimize their migration and distribution patterns.