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Teddy Ng

The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to push forward reform of the much criticised household registration system.
Under a plan released yesterday, China will scrap the controversial temporary residence permit, which has been blamed for social instability.
The temporary permits are held by millions of migrant workers who reside in cities other than their town of birth.
Under the current system, even those workers who have lived in their adopted cities for many years are not entitled to the same benefits as locals.
The ministry plans to replace the temporary permits with permanent ones that grant the holders the same privileges as local residents, including social security and the right to buy apartments or cars.
The ministry did not say how long it would take migrants to qualify for the permanent permits, but said the level of public services a resident would enjoy would depend on how long they had stayed in the city.
Under the current system, some cities allow migrants to buy apartments or cars after five years of paying local taxes.
The new plan will also allow people to apply for permanent residence registration in cities they previously worked in, even if they have since moved.
Many migrant workers have complained that they are denied social services because they do not belong to a registered household, even though they may have been living in their chosen city for many years.
In many cases, they must send their children back to their town of birth for education because non-locals are barred from sitting college entrance examinations in cities where they are not registered.
But scrapping the system is controversial as residents in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are concerned about losing their privileges to non-locals.
The reform plan also aims to remove the connections between public security agencies, automobile maintenance companies and driving schools to prevent corruption.
Under the reform plan, learner drivers will be able to take their driving examination in one city, even if they want their licence to be issued in another.
The plan also aims to increase police remuneration to levels only slightly lower than that of the army.


China to grant migrant workers permanent residence permits

The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to push forward reform of the much criticised household registration system. Photo: Reuters

Leaving half a city's residents on the outside

More than 51 per cent of newborns' parents do not have a local hukou, or residential registration in Shanghai. Photo: AFP

News

China

The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to push forward reform of the much criticised household registration system.


China to grant migrant workers permanent residence permits

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to push forward reform of the much criticised household registration system.

The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to push forward reform of the much criticised household registration system.