Hukou is a Chinese concept which is difficult to translate into English: It means registered permanent residence, and the document to prove it. It's a hangover from the planned economy of Chairman Mao period. But it still has a big influence on Chinese people's lives. Especially in the big cities like Beijing, it can determine where you live, where you can work and and more.

It's now the peak time for university graduates to find jobs, so the black market in hukou is getting hotter.



The situation for non-Beijinger students to find jobs in Beijing that require a Beijing hukou

If you are a fresh graduate from the universities in Beijing, but come from another province, it can be very hard for you. Te get a hukou, you must:

1) Get a job offer from an employer who has special permission to apply for a Beijing hukou from the local government. Normally, only state-owned companies and hi-tech corporations in the Zhongguancun area can get this special right, which is called "quota of access to Beijing" (jin jing zhi biao).

2) Get approval from your university which can put you on its list of "quota of staying in Beijing" (liu jing zhi biao). Each university in Beijing has the right to keep up to 10% of its non-Beijinger graduates in Beijing.

If you are lucky enough to get through above two difficulties, congratulations, you are 90% Beijinger now. But you still need to sign a three way agreement with your employer and your university.

How much does a Beijing hukou cost?

If you have successfully got thought the above trials, it costs nothing except the extra fees you might pay for building some kind of guanxi. If you are not so lucky, but still desire to stay in this fascinating city, just buy the hukou! It may cost from 20,000 to 60,000 yuan, the price is supposed to be flexible depending on your university and major.

Where can you buy a hukou?

Definitely those two special companies: state-owned and hi-tech companies, and also the agents who have special relations with them. For these companies, there is no cost for this special gift. Hukou's are useless if they are not used within a certain period.

A fresh graduate who buys a Beijing hukou, will have much more freedom to choose which company to work for than without a hukou.

What benefits can you get from a Beijing Hukou?

Well, many! You can choose your preferred job freely, you can get welfare / social security benefits like Beijingers, you can buy an "economical pragmatic" (i.e. government subsidised) house. When you have kids they will can attend a local primary school without paying any extra fees...

The pictured newspaper page is from The Beijing News which today has a special report on hukou black market in Beijing. According to the report, companies which sell hukou's will be targted in a crackdown. The article also says that the hukou policy is an important measure to control the huge pressures on Beijing's 15 million strong population.