Study on the Income Effect of Stable Employment Among Ethnic Minorities in China and Its Mechanism: A Sociological Perspective

Employment stability is key to high-quality employment for China’s ethnic minorities. This study explores its income effect on them, using 2012 to 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) data, with robustness tests via propensity score matching and instrumental variables, and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) decomposition for mediating mechanisms. Results show ethnic minorities with stable employment earn more: it enhances workplace status and income-generating social capital, and boosts off-work investment, expanding income channels. The effect is stronger for youth; the income gap between stable/unstable employment is larger among males and in non-ethnic autonomous regions. Recommendations include improving their employment stability, fostering workplace social capital, enhancing investment awareness of the unstably employed, and prioritizing stability for youth, males, and those in non-ethnic autonomous regions to promote common prosperity.