Internet Empowerment of Migrant Workers Returning Home for Entrepreneurship: Based on the Background of Rural Revitalization

Drawing on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study examines the impact of Internet usage on migrant workers’ decisions to return home and engage in entrepreneurial activities. The findings indicate that the Internet significantly facilitates entrepreneurial ventures among migrant workers in their hometowns, and the results remain robust after a variety of tests. Mechanism tests reveal that the Internet influences migrant entrepreneurship through the social interaction effect, the financing channel effect, and the human capital effect. Moreover, under the framework of rural revitalization, heterogeneity analysis shows that the Internet’s impact is more pronounced among migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship with lower agricultural incomes, more severe ecological challenges, lower levels of education, higher government performance evaluations, and wider local prosperity gaps. JEL Classification: L26, M13, J01.