The influence of job accessibility on local residential segregation of ethnic minorities: A study of Hong Kong

Abstract

AbstractPrevious research has shown that spatial mismatch between residential location and employment opportunities acts as a key influencing factor in employment outcomes for ethnic minorities living in segregated neighbourhoods. However, the effect of job accessibility on residential choice and segregation of ethnic minorities and its relevance to spatial mismatch across different minority groups has not been fully captured, especially in high‐density, transit‐oriented cities. This study seeks to address these knowledge gaps by investigating the residential segregation of ethnic minorities in relation to job accessibility in Hong Kong. Using a suite of statistical analyses, spatial patterns of residential segregation were found to relate to disparities in the socio‐economic status of different minority groups. Furthermore, modelling results suggest a significant trade‐off between neighbourhood quality and job accessibility particularly for the retail and service industries of South/Southeast Asian groups. By contrast, more privileged minority groups, such as White and Japanese communities, were found to cluster predominantly in higher income neighbourhoods with improved amenities rather than living closer to employment opportunities. These insights contribute to a more nuanced understanding of spatial mismatch across different ethnic minority groups, with which we have proposed policy recommendations with a view towards improving job accessibility, particularly for lower income minority groups and have identified avenues for future research.