New rule to support settled migrant workers

Editor's note: The State Council has issued a new guideline aimed at gradually increasing basic public services for residents without a local household registration. Shi Yulong, director of the Research Center on Xi Jinping's Economic Thought, and Gao Guoli, director of the China Center for Urban Development, explained why such measures are necessary. Below are excerpts of their comments as reported by the People's Daily. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

This guideline helps better align the allocation of public service resources with the scale, structure and needs of permanent residents. It will also help rural populations who migrated to cities integrate into the urban environment.

It outlines measures across key areas such as education, housing, social security, medical insurance, employment and social assistance, addressing the pressing concerns of permanent residents without a local hukou. This initiative is important for promoting these people's equal access to basic public services and advancing the people-centered new urbanization strategy.

By the end of 2025, some 130 million rural migrant workers were residing in urban areas. Some of them live with their children and elderly family members. Their primary concerns are stable employment, children's education, housing and social insurance.

A large number of such people live and work in cities for extended periods while their household registrations remain elsewhere. Ensuring that they have equal access to basic public services where they live is essential for improving the quality of urbanization.

The implementation of the guideline will help stabilize these people's expectations, allowing them to settle down and pursue a promising future, thus translating the vitality generated by population mobility into stronger domestic demand.

Cities and counties that see a net inflow of population generally have sound economic foundations and abundant job opportunities. They host a large number of rural migrant workers and people moving between cities, leading to a strong demand for public services, including basic education and housing. But the supply of these services often falls short.

These regions need to balance the fairness, accessibility and sustainability of public services that are short in supply, and work toward their tiered supply. The duration of a person's employment and residence in the area should be a main criterion for the provision of these public services.

On the other hand, cities and counties witnessing a decline in their population usually have weaker industrial bases and insufficient capacity to create jobs. In some of these regions, public service resources are at risk of underutilization.

These areas should focus on forecasting the total number of permanent residents, the demographic structure and mobility trends, and on continuously improving the construction, operation and management of service facilities to ensure that resources are efficiently allocated.

Given the varying fiscal capacity and the number of migrants across regions, authorities should take proactive but measured steps when expanding basic public services to residents without local household registration. This approach will help them maximize their efforts without overstretching their resources.