Migration, New Type of Urbanization, and Residence Permit in China

Juhua Yang , Renmin University of China
Susu Wang, Renmin University of China

The persistent urban-rural divides and regional disparities in socioeconomic development have motivated numerous people to mobilize geographically to pursue better life opportunities in the reform-era China. To promote an equal access to public benefits for migrants, the Provisional Regulations on Residence Permit, requiring local government to create favorable conditions to facilitate the coverage of basic public welfare for migrants, was introduced in 2015. Utilizing the 2017 Migrant Dynamic Monitoring Survey in China, this paper examines whether having a permit has promoted the wellbeing of migrants who have resided at the place of destination for over half year and crossed the administrative boundary of prefecture. Preliminary findings suggest that residence permit is indeed associated with a higher likelihood of having employee’s medical insurance or resident medical insurance, but such effect is intervened by migration characteristics, development of receiving society, the origin-destination nexus, capital endowment, and birth cohort.

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 Presented in Session 28. Urbanization and Urban Change