Co-ethnic networks and inter-provincial migration destination choice of ethnic minority migrants in China

ABSTRACT Previous research shows that co-ethnic networks are an important factor in explaining the concentrated pattern of distribution of ethnic minority migrants. This study uses pooled data from the National Migrant Dynamics Monitoring Survey, to examine the role co-ethnic networks play in ethnic minorities’ inter-provincial migration destination choices and how it is moderated by education in China. Conditional logit models reveal that except for Manchus, ethnic minority migrants are more likely to go to provinces with large co-ethnic networks. There are also group differences in the effect of co-ethnic network size, with it being greater for Tibetans and Dong than for the rest of minority groups in the study. It is further found that higher levels of education reduce the effect of co-ethnic networks on Tibetan and Korean migrants’ destination choice. For the rest of the ethnic minority groups in the study, education’s moderating effect is either positive or not statistically significant.