Labour market impacts of the equalisation of basic public health and medical services on internal migrants in China

Abstract

Using China Migrants Dynamic Survey Project data from 2011 to 2017, this study investigates the labour market impacts of equalisation of basic public health and medical services on internal migrants by the difference-in-differences approach in China. The results reveal that equalisation of basic public health and medical services increases the probability of labour participation and the income of internal migrants. Male migrants, married migrants and migrants who cover long migration distances have a much stronger positive response to the equalisation of basic public health and medical services in terms of likelihood of labour participation and level of income. Mechanism checks indicate that the increases in labour participation and income of internal migrants are enhanced by the improvement of medical service utilisation, human capital and social integration after the implementation of the equalisation of basic public health and medical services.