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

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.