Internal Migration Restrictions in Beijing
People are guaranteed freedom of movement within the United States pursuant to the privileges and immunities clause of our national constitution. That’s not the case everywhere.
As the South China Morning Post reports, China’s capitol city of Beijing recently enacted migration rules to keep its exploding population in check.
[A] migrant will be graded according to their contributions to the city and qualifications such as education or age. He or she cannot obtain permanent residency, which is tied to a series of social benefits that migrants do not get, without gaining enough grades.
“Grades” can be achieved by working and paying into social security, having a clean criminal record, having a high educational background, and being under the age of retirement. Benefits from permanent residency include access to better educational opportunities.
Beijing’s new rules offer “extra grades” to those willing to move to relocate both work and home to the suburbs.
This article is a keeper for any immprof looking for a comparative perspective on the regulation of internal migration.
-KitJ