Objective To investigate the expression of miR⁃30b⁃5p in esophageal cancer cells and its effect on the proliferation，migration，and invasion of esophageal cancer cells. Methods The expression level of miR⁃30b⁃5p was detected in tumor and adjacent tissues of 70 patients with esophageal cancer who received surgical treatment in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. The expression level of miR⁃30b⁃5p in esophageal cancer cell lines was detected by qRT⁃PCR. miR⁃30b⁃5p mimics were transfected into TE⁃13 and ECA109 cells， and the expression levels of miR⁃30b⁃5p and MKRN3 in the transfected cells were detected. The proliferation， migration and invasion ability of esophageal carcinoma cells were determined by cell proliferation assay，Transwell assay and nude mouse tumorigenesis assay. The target gene of miR⁃30b⁃5p was verified by double luciferase assay. Western blotting was used to explore the molecular mechanism of the effect of miR⁃30b⁃5p on esophageal carcino⁃ ma. Results The expression of miR⁃30b⁃5p in esophageal carcinoma cells and tissues was significantly decreased compared with normal epithelial cells and paracancer tissues（P < 0.05）. Cell proliferation experiment showed that the proliferation rate of miR⁃30b⁃5p mimics group was significantly lower than that of NC group（P < 0.05）. Tran⁃ swell experiment results showed that the mobility and invasion rates of miR⁃30b⁃5p mimics group were significantly lower than those of NC group（P < 0.05）. Dual luciferase assay showed that MKRN3 was the direct target gene of miR⁃30b⁃5p. Western blot analysis of JAK/STAT signaling pathway protein showed that the histone of miR⁃30b⁃5p mimics was lower than that of NC group（P < 0.05）. Conclusion miR⁃30b⁃5p shows low expression in esophageal cancer，and miR⁃30b⁃5p inhibits the proliferation，migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells by down⁃regu⁃ lating the expression of MKRN3.