Xiaochu Hu
Xiaochu Hu is a third year PhD student at the School of Public Policy and Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Regional Analysis, George Mason University. Her research fields are immigration policy and regional economic development. Ms. Hu’s recent publications include Scientists, Managers, and Tourists: The Changing Shape of European Migration to the United States (Migration Policy Institute, July 2011, co-author,); and China’s “New generation” Rural-urban Migrants: Migration Motivation and Pattern (Migration Information Source, Jan 2012).
Recent Activity
Most of China's roughly 145 million rural-to-urban migrants were born after 1980, making this population the "new generation" of internal migrant workers. Having been directly influenced by China's rapid economic growth and recent sociodemographic policy changes, this cohort of rural-urban migrants offers much to learn with respect to their motivations. This article discusses survey data indicating that new-generation migrants have somewhat different motivations and expectations than their more traditional counterparts, such as the desire for excitement, fun, and career development independent of the needs of the family back home.
European dominance in U.S. immigration flows has decreased significantly since World War II, a result of economic, demographic, and policy trends on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, migration from European Union Member States to the United States, while small, is characterized by a substantial numbers of European scientists, professionals, and businesspeople.