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The heterogeneous migration motivations of college graduates in China: the role of preferential household registration policies

Yuxue Sheng et al.

Empirical Economics2026https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-025-02862-6article
AJG 2ABDC A
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0.50

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of city-specific household registration ( hukou ) policies on the migration decisions of new college graduates in China. Using data from the 2019 National University Graduates’ Employment Survey and hukou policies from prefecture-level cities, we analyze how hukou constraints shape post-graduation location choices. Our findings reveal that: (1) Stricter hukou policies are generally associated with a lower likelihood of graduates staying in the city where they completed their education; (2) this effect tends to be more pronounced in high-amenity cities, where constrained access to urban entitlements reduces their attractiveness; (3) the impact varies across demographic groups: Male graduates, those from middle-income families, and individuals with rural hukou are more responsive to hukou restrictions; (4) the effect is strongest and statistically significant among vocational and junior college graduates. These findings highlight how institutional barriers influence labor mobility and human capital allocation.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-025-02862-6

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@article{yuxue2026,
  title        = {{The heterogeneous migration motivations of college graduates in China: the role of preferential household registration policies}},
  author       = {Yuxue Sheng et al.},
  journal      = {Empirical Economics},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-025-02862-6},
}

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The heterogeneous migration motivations of college graduates in China: the role of preferential household registration policies

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