Resident Registration “Regime” Should Be Reformed

Speaking at the seminar, Mr Achim Fock, Acting WB Country Director believed that it is time to change the mission of the resident registration book. It also means that more people may enjoy public service in a proper way such as access to schools, medical care and jobs. It will also encourage migrants to urban areas and contribute to economic growth and structural development in Vietnam.

 

For his part, Mr Dang Nguyen Anh, Vice President, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, said that several research projects by related authorities and scientists indicated that the resident registration system is no longer appropriate in Vietnamese society due to major changes by reform policy and international integration. Clearly, the old registration system should be replaced by more intelligent management instrument to facilitate all interests of the people, as well as better social management. Economist Vu Hoang Linh, WB Global Team on Poverty and Fairness, believed that resident registration network operating over half a century has been regarded as an instrument to regulate the population and economic development when the State plays a major role in economic and social management. So far there are some changes in the system, but for non-registereds, it remains a hurdle for them to access to public service in the place they are actually living.

 

In the two biggest cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, some 5.6 million people are living without permanent registered status (only temporary basis) making up 18 per cent and 36 per cent of the population respectively. The non-permanent registered are working mainly in the private sector, most of them in manufacturing industries and accounting for three quarters of workers in foreign enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Binh Duong and Dak Nong. Regarding economic interests and labour market, temporary residents have no serious disadvantages accept in access to jobs in public sector and especially in public service such as education and health insurance for their children, and other formalities for example, motorbike registration. In a survey, 70 per cent of the people believe that the resident registration system has limited the rights of non-registered residents, and such limits should be lifted.

 

Mr Linh said that it is most deplorable that a quarter of non-resident registered children are without medical insurance. They are also disadvantaged in schooling and turning for private schools especially in kindergartens with much higher school fees. Temporary resident families must also pay more for medicare and 2 per cent less chance to be listed as poor households.

 

Beside disadvantages in education, medical service and jobs, temporary residents have to pay higher electricity rates. Some research shows that temporary residents have to pay much money (2 per cent of them) and to bribe (2.2 percent of them) for resident permits, while 53 per cent of them sought permanent resident status but failed.

Mr Linh also said that only few countries in the world (Vietnam, China and countries in former Soviet Union) maintain household registered system restricting social services and residence movement. Meanwhile in developed countries it concerns only registration of birth, death, marriage.

 

According to Dr Gabriel Demonbynes, WB economist, there must be more radical reform to ensure equal opportunities of all citizens, first of all access to services. There are two possible ways: Reducing barriers so that people can have permanent resident status without discrimination between resident and non-resident, or simple resident status with fast update and research.