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Acquiring a Beijing hukou: Who Is Eligible and Who Is Successful?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2019

Tao Liu  and
Qiujie Shi Open the ORCID record for Qiujie Shi [Opens in a new window]
Tao Liu
Affiliation:
Peking University. Email: liutao@pku.edu.cn.
Qiujie Shi*
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
*
Email: qiujie.shi@ouce.ox.ac.uk (corresponding author).
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Abstract

Using a localized perspective, this paper explores the gap between the eligibility criteria for a Beijing hukou (household registration) and the reality of successfully acquiring one. By comparing those who are eligible to apply with those who actually succeed in gaining a hukou, it reveals that hukou practices are operated locally to serve the city's development needs. It also reveals huge gaps between migrants, eligible applicants and hukou winners. Most migrants in Beijing are not eligible to apply for a local hukou. However, among those limited applicants who can apply, those with a postgraduate education and who serve the capital's political functions are more likely than others to win a hukou, an advantage not pointed out in government documents. These “hidden” rules are most likely set intentionally by the city so that it can maintain absolute control over hukou transfers; however, at the same time, they frustrate migrants who meet the stated requirements but who are in reality still unlikely to ever acquire a Beijing hukou. These findings open up a novel perspective for exploring the people–city nexus in China during the migration process and highlight the gaps between policy and reality for those who can apply for a Beijing hukou and those who actually win one.

摘要

摘要

本文从地方化的角度比较了北京市的落户政策和现实状况。结果表明，落户的标准制定和现实操作都是地方化的过程，都体现了城市的发展导向。满足落户政策是实现落户的前提，但绝大多数迁移者都难以满足落户标准。此外，满足落户标准者和实际获得户口者也存在多方面的显著差异：在满足落户标准的迁移者中，具有研究生学历和为首都政治中心服务的人群才更有可能获得北京户口，而各种落户政策文件中并未出现这种明显的偏向性。这些“隐性”规则很可能是城市政府有意设置的，以长期保持对落户的绝对控制。但这会让表面上达到了政策要求、实际上却很难落户的迁移者丧失希望。这些关于落户政策与现实错位的研究发现为解析迁移过程中人与城市之间的关系开辟了新的视角。

Keywords

localizationhukou transferapplication requirementsevaluation criteriaBeijing地方化户口迁移落户标准评估体系北京
Type
Research Report
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 243 , September 2020 , pp. 855 - 868
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Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London 2019

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