The job satisfaction of residents in Chinese megacities and impacts from Hukou

This article studies the job satisfaction, so work based (subjective well-being) SWB of residents of three Chinese megacities and impacts from Hukou registration. We argue Hukou has a dual-role in influencing migration, as a migration restriction policy through restricting the access to public services to individuals; and as a determinant of individuals’ social endowment/human capital. Thus, Hukou’s locality and type mirror nationality and skill level in international migration. We analyzed overall job satisfaction, job satisfaction with income and potential realization, thus effectively incorporating both the hedonistic and eudaimonic aspects of work based subjective well-being. We also extended the relative income hypothesis (RIH), and considered three income effects, first the personal income level, second the relative income to others, third the relative income to expected income had they not migrated. We found that income effects vary among different cohorts and subgroups of migrants. Furthermore, in contrast to existing literature on the positive contribution of self-employment to job satisfaction due to autonomy (Lange 2012), self-employment has no significant impact on job satisfaction. The decision of being self-employed is also considered, education and possession of an agricultural Hukou have a significant adverse and positive effect on self-employment, respectively; suggesting self-employment is used as a coping strategy by disadvantaged individuals, e.g. agricultural Hukou holders, individuals with less educated education, thus moderated the effect of autonomy.