As China accelerates its urbanization process, reform of the household registration system, known as the "hukou", has already benefited the migrant workers.
Xiangyang, in central China’s Hubei province, is applying a new residential permit system. It gives all urban and rural residents the same access to social welfare and public services.
Migrant workers who register to live in the city are able to keep their land rights in their village. The Xiangyang city government allocates an average of 150 thousand yuan, or 23.5 thousand US dollars for each new resident to cover basic benefits. T
he reforms allow migrant workers with stable jobs and skills to settle in cities with their families, and enjoy the same rights as people currently registered as urban residents.