Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs
Wong Kan Seng has revealed that the number of permanent residents here
has been increasingly steadily in recent years.
He gave these figures in response to a question in parliament:
"The number of persons applying for and the number
of persons granted PR have been increasing steadily in the recent
years. //Year 2000-2008, an average of about 74,500 foreigners
submitted applications for Permanent Residence each year. For the same
period, an average of 46,300 applicants were successful in their PR
application each year. An average of 2,200 renounce their PR status
over the same period."
Mr Wong said the rising number of PRs was due to two factors: the strong economy and the need to augment the local population.
But he added that not all foreigners here are PRs.
He revealed that there are nearly 1.3 million non-residents here -- more than twice the number of PRs.
"In fact, a very large proportion of these foreigners are non-residents
such as foreign workers and foreign students who are here on short-term
passes. In other words, they are here on a transient basis and will
leave Singapore one day when their services are no longer needed by
their employers or when they've completed their studies. There are some
who are on a long-term visit passes and they are sponsored by
Singaporeans. "
DPM Wong reassured Singaporeans that the government is mindful of their concerns.
He said Singapore needs foreign workers to do the jobs that its industries and economy need.
However, the government will make sure that the
inflow of immigrants will not dilute the country's national identity or
weaken its social cohesion.
He said that a sustained and calibrated inflow of
immigrants will ensure that Singaporeans benefit from immigration in
the long term.
--938Live