Singaporeans overseas won't be added in the population count
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Away for over 12 months? You won’t be counted… -Singapore
Posted on February 5th, 2008 by Mindy Yong.
Categories: Singapore News.
Away for over 12 months? You won’t be counted… -Singapore
By Keith Lin
SINGAPOREANS and permanent residents who stay abroad for a continuous period of at least 12 months are now excluded from its population count.
The move follows Singapore’s decision to adopt a recommendation of the United Nations (UN), which considers people who are away from the country for 12 months or more as having their usual residence overseas.
This group includes those studying abroad, working overseas and those who have emigrated but have not given up their citizenship.
With the revision, Singapore’s resident population - made up of citizens and PRs - is 3.58 million as at end-June last year.
Including foreigners, Singapore’s total population adds up to 4.59 million, below the pre-revision 4.68 million.
The change was announced yesterday by the Department of Statistics.
Calculations from its website’s figures show that in the last five years, the number of Singapore residents away continuously for more than 12 months hovers between 70,000 and 90,000.
In 2003, they totalled around 80,000 and 90,000 as at end-June last year.
Demographers interviewed said the revision would prevent double-counting and help the authorities plan resource allocation better.
Calling the move ’sensible’, Professor Gavin Jones from the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute, said: ‘Obviously, somebody who is away for years is not going to be studying in the schools here or using the MRT.’
Consultant demographer G. Shantakumar said the new measure helps the UN resolve the problem of double-counting when it makes global population projections.
‘A situation where two countries count one particular person as part of their individual population can be avoided,’ he said.
The change does not affect the number of foreigners living here, which is around 1.01 million as at last June, a 15 per cent rise over 2006.
Heard of that? What are you people's various opinions?
Mine is that I do NOT support it. What repercussions will this have on Singaporeans overseas? What will happen when they hear it? What if they love the country and long to return once their job overseas is finished? Won't they feel short changed or left out?
I mean, it is perfectly alright for the government to calculate the number of people that are overseas. But why exclude them from the population of Singaporeans and PRs? If the PRs in Singapore are counted in, why deprive our fellow Singaporeans overseas of being in the count?
Of course, this may seem a small matter to you or anyone. But it might make those overseas feel as if they do not belong to Singapore anymore. Singapore is already facing a brain drain and this is making the situation worsen.
I personally think that what the government should do is this. It is a very simple matter of alternating the figures. The government can announce how many people there are in Singapore and how many are there in Singapore as well as around the world, with the latter with more emphasis.
So, any other opinions? -
It is just purely a matter of statistics, and you can thus derive the participation rate of the population in the workforce, etc... The important thing from the news report is that now we know, about 1.1 million Singaporeans and PRs are working overseas long term.
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the most important thing is most of them are not coming here for good
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It's an endorsed practice. Don't make it seem symbolic when it isn't.
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Originally posted by panter92:Away for over 12 months? You won’t be counted… -Singapore
Posted on February 5th, 2008 by Mindy Yong.
Categories: Singapore News.
Away for over 12 months? You won’t be counted… -Singapore
By Keith Lin
SINGAPOREANS and permanent residents who stay abroad for a continuous period of at least 12 months are now excluded from its population count.
The move follows Singapore’s decision to adopt a recommendation of the United Nations (UN), which considers people who are away from the country for 12 months or more as having their usual residence overseas.
This group includes those studying abroad, working overseas and those who have emigrated but have not given up their citizenship.
With the revision, Singapore’s resident population - made up of citizens and PRs - is 3.58 million as at end-June last year.
Including foreigners, Singapore’s total population adds up to 4.59 million, below the pre-revision 4.68 million.
The change was announced yesterday by the Department of Statistics.
Calculations from its website’s figures show that in the last five years, the number of Singapore residents away continuously for more than 12 months hovers between 70,000 and 90,000.
In 2003, they totalled around 80,000 and 90,000 as at end-June last year.
Demographers interviewed said the revision would prevent double-counting and help the authorities plan resource allocation better.
Calling the move ’sensible’, Professor Gavin Jones from the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute, said: ‘Obviously, somebody who is away for years is not going to be studying in the schools here or using the MRT.’
Consultant demographer G. Shantakumar said the new measure helps the UN resolve the problem of double-counting when it makes global population projections.
‘A situation where two countries count one particular person as part of their individual population can be avoided,’ he said.
The change does not affect the number of foreigners living here, which is around 1.01 million as at last June, a 15 per cent rise over 2006.
Heard of that? What are you people's various opinions?
Mine is that I do NOT support it. What repercussions will this have on Singaporeans overseas? What will happen when they hear it? What if they love the country and long to return once their job overseas is finished? Won't they feel short changed or left out?
I mean, it is perfectly alright for the government to calculate the number of people that are overseas. But why exclude them from the population of Singaporeans and PRs? If the PRs in Singapore are counted in, why deprive our fellow Singaporeans overseas of being in the count?
Of course, this may seem a small matter to you or anyone. But it might make those overseas feel as if they do not belong to Singapore anymore. Singapore is already facing a brain drain and this is making the situation worsen.
I personally think that what the government should do is this. It is a very simple matter of alternating the figures. The government can announce how many people there are in Singapore and how many are there in Singapore as well as around the world, with the latter with more emphasis.
So, any other opinions?<!-- / message --><!-- controls -->
They are just following UN recommendations. It doesn't matter to me if I am counted in or not (I have been away from Singapore for eons) . It's to prevent double counts . Tis all.
Besides it will be easier to plan for the country without considering those who will be away for a long long long long loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong while .
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So the plan to increase Singapore population to 6 million is inclusive or exclusive of those away?
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Originally posted by Seven_Dragon:
the most important thing is most of them are not coming here for good
yeep i agree lol me included.. and good thing i'm going while i'm young too when the govt hasnt begun sucking my money yet
Enjoy the brain drain S'pore... -
well, i dont miss it either.
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Originally posted by eagle:
It is just purely a matter of statistics, and you can thus derive the participation rate of the population in the workforce, etc... The important thing from the news report is that now we know, about 1.1 million Singaporeans and PRs are working overseas long term.
Do you think the government should stop giving them GST or whatever financial relieve package because they no long contribute to Singapore economy?
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Originally posted by TCH05:
Do you think the government should stop giving them GST or whatever financial relieve package because they no long contribute to Singapore economy?
I don't think that I can actually get anything except for my CPF.
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Originally posted by TCH05:
Do you think the government should stop giving them GST or whatever financial relieve package because they no long contribute to Singapore economy?
Doing that and the gov will be slapping its own face since it has been encouraging its people to go global. -
Originally posted by TCH05:
Do you think the government should stop giving them GST or whatever financial relieve package because they no long contribute to Singapore economy?
hannor hannor.. knn.....if that's the case.. can they give mi back my CPF money.. cb...... another news to make mi feel i dun belong in sg anymore.. cb oh ya give mi back my 2.5 yrs youth can?
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those relief packages are kachiam puteh, a couple of hundred dollars to compensate what they will tax us all in ten of thousand dollars in the long run.
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no point in counting them in the population also coz they're not contributing anything to singapore also wot......
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Eeeh, don't count don't count loh. Important meh?
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Her cannot make a good living and no freedom yet demand so much fro0m their people...who can stay for long
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its just numbers... dun tink so much of it
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Originally posted by 333225520:
Doing that and the gov will be slapping its own face since it has been encouraging its people to go global.I think it is a fair that singapore government exclude them in our annual budget because they dont contribute the the economy and many are keeping their singapore citizenship as back up plan.