Residence permit breakthrough

China took a step forward in reforming the household registration system on Saturday, which is good news for the floating population of 253 million and for its ongoing urbanization.

The Provisional Regulation on Temporary Residence Permits promulgated by the State Council, which will take effect on Jan 1, 2016, should provide migrant residents with social benefits such as public health services and compulsory education that were previously excluded them, and make their lives easier, as they will be able to apply for driving licenses, visas and change their identification cards, for example, in the places where they work.

How to provide migrant workers with the social benefits they deserve has long been a concern in China's urbanization process. Thanks to the way the household registration has been managed in the past more than 60 decades, it was almost impossible for villagers-turned-workers to get the access to the social welfare services enjoyed by their urban counterparts.