BACKGROUND:
“Societies need stronger health systems, including Universal Health Coverage [UHC]”. These words are those of the General Secretary of the United Nations at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemics (Guterres, 2020). They reflect the relevance of both health systems and UHC towards the realisation of equity in health for all. Despite multiple legal obligations (e.g. human rights treaties) and political commitments (e.g. Agenda 2030 for sustainable development), strong disparities remain in healthcare access across the world. This is particularly the case for migrant populations, regardless of their status (Abubakar, 2018). Among the essential elements for achieving equitable and sustainable access to health care are legislative and regulatory frameworks. While many countries today struggle to achieve access for all, there is insufficient research aiming at the definition of a clear legal path towards UHC. A first step on this path is the assessment of the existing laws and legal barriers or gaps in these laws precluding individuals – and more specifically migrant populations within the scope of our study – from accessing healthcare services.

METHODS:
Laws and regulations determining access to healthcare services for migrant workers in China will be analysed as a case study, including legislation applicable to diverse areas beyond health such as social protection, migration, labour etc.

RESULTS:
This analysis of access to healthcare for Chinese migrant workers can be extended to other national contexts and be applied to identify the challenges faced by both internal and international migrating populations.

CONCLUSIONS:
The example of access to healthcare for migrant workers in China reveals that legal research should be encouraged since the achievement of UHC understood as an essential foundation for health equity implies a coherent domestic legal framework (Dagron, 2023).