Xueying Mu

1 Introduction Since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policies, China has undergone an unprecedented wave of internal migration, characterised by a substantial influx of people into eastern regions and major cities. Under the hukou system,1 internal migrants can be divided into permanent migrants, who have obtained local hukou, and temporary migrants,2 who have not obtained it (Sun and Fan 2011).

Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. References , , and . 2004. “Temporary Versus Permanent Youth Brain Drain: Economic Implications.” International Migration 42, no. 4: 3–34. , and . 2022. “Internal Migration and the De-Standardization of the Life Course.” Demographic Research 46: 337–354. 2001. “Two Processes and Institutional Barriers n Migration.” (In Chinese) Sociological Research no. 4: 44–51. , and . 2016.

Abstract In the past two decades, migrants' homeownership has received increasing attention, as migrants have become increasingly heterogeneous in terms of socio-economic status and choice of the destination city. However, how migrants move across the urban hierarchy and thereby affect their housing consumption has received scant attention.