Household registration

The government is caught in a cleft stick when it comes to the household registration of villagers-turned-workers.

It has to balance the need to make life easier for villagers-turned-workers, enabling them to enjoy the social benefits their urban counterparts take for granted, with the unbearable pressure many big cities are facing in terms of resources.

The State Council released a document on Thursday that allows county seats and small cities to register those who apply for a hukou, so long as they have stable jobs and incomes. It also allows those who have worked for three years in prefecture level cities to register as urban residents.