Investigating the job mobility of migrant workers in China

Abstract

This research investigated the job mobility of migrant workers based on a survey of migrant workers in six cities in eastern China. The high degree of job mobility noted among migrant workers was found to be associated with the use of “trial and error” method in their search for better jobs. Differences in the duration of migrants’ stay in the urban labor market and social integration in the destinations resulted in their varying capacity to obtain and analyze labor market information, which in turn, accounted for job changes. In view of the employers’ interest in maintaining low wages, the legitimate rights and interests of migrant workers cannot be guaranteed under the current industrial, institutional, and social contexts. Under these circumstances, the job mobility of migrant workers reflects their aspirations to find better incomes and working conditions.