Effects of Internal Migrants’ Social Networks on Job Access and Initial Earnings in East Ungaran District

Internal migration contributes to regional labor-market development, although migrants differ in their access to employment opportunities and initial earnings. This study examines the effects of social networks on job access and initial earnings among internal migrants in East Ungaran District, Semarang Regency, and investigates the mediating role of job access. A quantitative explanatory design supported by qualitative interviews was employed. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 66 internal migrants selected using purposive sampling supported by a snowball approach. Additional interviews involved four migrants and two institutional representatives. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simple and multiple linear regression, and the Sobel mediation test. The findings indicate that 84.85% of respondents had pre-existing destination connections. Social networks were positively associated with job access (β = 0.493; p < 0.001; R² = 0.244), while job access was positively associated with initial earnings (β = 0.548; p < 0.001; R² = 0.300). The combined model explained 48.7% of earnings variation. The Sobel test confirmed significant partial statistical mediation (z = 2.455; p = 0.014). These findings establish job access as an intermediate mechanism linking interpersonal resources and initial earnings, supporting more accessible recruitment information and inclusive regional employment planning.