Urban Migration in Shanghai, 1950-88: Trends and Characteristics

Official municipal statistics and a 1984 survey conducted by east China Normal University with subsamples for 1954 1964 1973 and 1982 were utilized. A total of 4540 registered migrants were selected: 2492 immigrants and 2048 outmigrants with date of registration age sex education reason origin and destination of the move. During the first stage (1950-57) there were approximately 3.7 million immigrants and 3.2 million outmigrants. During the second stage (1958-67) Shanghai lost nearly 1 million residents. After 1960 rural-to-urban migration was strictly controlled. During the third stage (1968-77) almost 1.5 million residents moved out: a high proportion of junior or senior high school students and workers. During the fourth stage (1978-88) the annual rate of outmigration fell to about 1% while population size increased at a rate of about 2.7%. Return migration peaked in 1979 when over 400000 immigrants who had gone to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution returned. In 1964 there was a high percentage of outmigrants aged 15-24;l and in 1973 almost 9/10 of outmigrants were aged 15-24. Males outnumbered females in each of the 4 years except 1954. Among outmigrants females were somewhat fewer than males in 1954 and 1964 and slightly more in 1973. In 1982 large numbers of older people moved out and nearly 3 out of 4 outmigrants were males. About 60% of migrants in 1954 were married. In 1964 most outmigrants were single urban youths. In 1973 the proportion of married was even lower. During the first stage the majority of migrants were illiterate. In 1964 more than 1 out of 4 immigrants had a high school diploma. In 1973 about 70% of migrants had a junior high school diploma. In 1082 about 7% of outmigrants were international migrants in contrast to 1% in 1964 and 1973. Urban migration has been closely related to the political swings economic changes and policy shifts in contemporary China.