PUBLICATIONS & REPORTS

Contents Introduction

International migration from China has grown rapidly since the end of the 1970s, becoming a noticeable issue both for China and the receiving countries. Using the 2005 OECD DATA BASE ON IMMIGRANTS AND EXPATRIATES, this paper analyses the geographical distribution of Chinese migrants in 29 OECD countries and its underlying factors. The main findings are as follows. 1) The income level of destination country, which usually has a strong correlation with country’s level of science and higher education, has a positive influence on attracting Chinese migrants, the majority of whom are highly educated persons and their relatives. 2) Language proximity has a positive influence on the destination selection of Chinese migrants. In comparison with other countries, English-speaking countries, which have shorter language distance with highly educated migrants, are more attractive to Chinese migrants. 3) The immigration tradition and skilled labor preference policy of destination country, which can be reflected by a higher share of foreign-born (or foreigners) in country’s total population, has positive influence on attracting Chinese migrants, particularly those highly educated persons. The six English-speaking countries, which have both language advantage and immigration tradition, have absorbed 72 percent of total Chinese migrants and 84% of highly educated Chinese migrants in OECD countries. 4) Geographic distance, which usually affects the social and economic relation between migrant’s source country and destination country, has a significant influence on the destination selection of Chinese migrants. Japan and South Korea, two neighboring countries of China, are important destinations of Chinese migrants. 5) The population scale of destination country, a proxy of labor market scale, generally has positive influence on attracting Chinese migrants.