The Beijing hukou, like other urban city hukous, have been coveted by migrants who work and live in Beijing. The hukou is China’s household registration, part of the overall hukou system that not only identifies a citizen, but also many benefits that are only available to citizens according to their household registration. We’ll explain more about the hukou and its planned reforms below.

The current hukou system, for many decades, have remained the same, affecting the lives of citizens living in big cities that come from other places. Currently, migrants have long been prevented access to equal services like pensions, education, and healthcare. Chinese citizens are currently tied to their hukou, or household registration, of where they are originally from. Even if they move to bigger cities to work and live, even if they raise their families there, they can only enjoy the benefits from their birthplace.

The new proposed hukou reform guidelines have been drafted by the Ministry of Public Security along with 11 other ministries and commissions, awaiting for approval by the central government. If approved, those new guidelines will come into effect immediately and open up and establish a new hukou system by 2020. The main difference of the new guidelines is that the new hukou system will be based on a person’s place of residence and job, instead of birthplace. This way, it will make it easier for people to transfer their hukou. This way, those living in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai will enjoy the same benefits their urban counterparts have.

Although all of the above may not affect foreigners, it does give them an insight into the hukou household registration system and how it affects Chinese citizens, its urban cities, and social services.