Process for producing photoresist polymeric compound having repeated units
corresponding to at least one monomer selected from monomer (a) having
lactone skeleton, monomer (b) having group which becomes soluble in
alkali by elimination with acid, and monomer (c) having alicyclic
skeleton having hydroxyl group. Process includes (A) polymerizing mixture
of monomers containing at least one monomer selected from the above
monomers (a), (b), and (c), and (B) extracting polymer formed in the
polymerization by using organic solvent and water to partition the formed
polymer into organic solvent layer and metal component impurity into
aqueous layer, or passing polymer solution, which contains polymer having
repeated units corresponding to at least one of the above monomers (a),
(b), and (c) and metal content of which is 1000 ppb by weight or less
relative to the polymer through filter comprising porous polyolefin
membrane having cation-exchange group. The photoresist polymeric
compounds have a metallic impurity content that is extremely low.