To further optimize the population structure and enhance the competitiveness of the city, Dongguan released a new Hukou (permanent residency permit) policy on 14th August for new talents. The policy will officially take effect from 1st September, 2020 to 31st August 2025.

To qualify for permanent residence, applicants must have existed in the city's social security system for at least one year. Any previous membership of organizations or activities prohibited by the state, or a criminal record, will invalidate eligibility.

Applicants should satisfy one of the following conditions:

Those studying abroad for a master's degree or above should be younger than 50; those studying abroad for a bachelor's degree should be younger than 45; those with a full-time master's degree or above from a national college should be younger than 50. Applicants with a bachelor's degree or associate's degree should be younger than 45 and 40 respectively; those with non-full-time bachelor's degree or above and have been in the city’s social security system for at least 3 years should be younger than 35.

People from other cities in Guangdong Province can also apply for permanent residency in Dongguan within two years of their graduation from vocational or technical college.

Applicants with a senior professional title should be younger than 50 years old, those with an intermediate title younger than 45 and juniors under 40, all with a secondary education background or above.

Those with a national vocational qualification as senior technician should be younger than 45, while technicians with a national qualification younger than 40. Those with a national vocational qualification as senior workers should be younger than 35, while intermediate workers who have been in the city's social insurance system for 3 years should be younger than 30. Applicants mentioned above should engage in urgently-needed jobs in Dongguan.

Also, those who have won prizes in world skills competitions or the titles like "Grand Skill Award of China", "National Technical Expert", "Guangdong Technical Expert", "Dongguan Technical Expert" and "Dongguan Chief Technician" within the past 5 years may also apply if they are younger than 50.

Qualified enterprises can also help their staff apply for permanent residence. Recommended staff should be urgently-needed talents with secondary school education or above. They should be no more than 50 years old and enrolled in the city's social insurance system for at least one year.