The impact of air pollution on employment mobility of college graduates in the Yangtze River Delta

The group of college graduates is the top priority for stabilizing employment in China. This research explores the impact of air pollution on the employment flow of college graduates in the Yangtze River Delta by collecting and matching PM2.5 satellite data in grid form and the data from employment quality reports. The air flow coefficient is used as an instrumental variable of air pollution. Research has shown that there is a negative correlation between air pollution levels in a student's city of study and the likelihood of college graduates staying in the region after graduation. Namely, higher levels of air pollution are associated with lower intraregional stickiness rates. Also, graduate students are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution than undergraduates. And the impact of air pollution on the employment mobility of graduates is greater for those who attended public colleges and universities compared to those who attended private institutions. The conclusions of this research demonstrate the importance of air pollution governance in relation to graduate employment mobility and provide both theoretical support and empirical evidence for local authorities to manage and improve environmental quality and graduate employment opportunities.