Impact of cross-provincial population migration on population aging in China: 2000–2020

This study analyses the impact of cross-provincial migration on population ageing in different provinces of China using data from the last three population censuses (2000–2020). The results suggest that the increasing number of cross-provincial migrant populations and the ageing population structure have affected the pattern of ageing in each province. Fewer provinces have reduced the level of ageing because of population migration and numerous provinces have raised the height of ageing. Thus, cross-provincial population migration narrows the gap in the volume of the ageing population across provinces. The impact of cross-provincial population migration on the difference between the proportion of permanent resident and registered (hukou) population has been increasing. Changes in cross-provincial population migration have revised previous conclusions about the impact of population migration on population ageing. With net cross-provincial population inflows, some provinces increase the volume of ageing of population instead of decreasing, and with net cross-provincial population outflows, some provinces decrease the volume of ageing population instead of increasing it.