Effect of local public administration reform on internal migration: Evidence from Vietnam

Abstract

Many previous studies have demonstrated different factors affecting internal migration. However, studies on the impact of public administration reform on internal migration in developing countries are limited. This study assesses the impact of local public administration reform on internal migration in Vietnam using a gravity model with the two-part regression method. Using provincial data on internal migration along with data on socio-economic conditions and on public administration reform in localities for the period of 2014 to 2019, form a cross-sectional dataset with 3,906 observations, the quantitative analysis results show that administrative reform is an important determinant of internal migration. Administrative reform in localities in the implementation of legal regulations, improving the quality of bureaucrats, and modernizing working mechanisms make people more willing to stay where they are. The study provides an overview of the impact of other social factors on internal migration. On that basis, some policy implications related to internal migration administration are proposed.