hmmm...
CNA – 29 Sep
2009
Foreign population growth
slows down
SINGAPORE:
In A sign of things to come, the pace of growth of the foreign
population in Singapore has hit the brakes.
After two years of double-digit increase and five years of an
acceleration in the influx of non-residents - since the last time
the Singapore economy had stalled - their numbers grew by 4.8 per
cent from June last year to this June.
Still, it was enough to tip the total population to almost 5
million in a recession-hit Singapore.
The biggest jump - looking at the growth trends in recent years
- was among permanent residents (PRs). After averaging an annual
increase of 9.9 per cent over the decade leading up to 2000 - and
smaller annual growth rates in the new millennium - the number of
PRs grew 11.5 per cent, as of this June, from the year before.
The "period of uncertainty" that has clouded the world's
economies - and by extension, has curbed the growth momentum in
Singapore's non-resident population here of 14.9 per cent in 2007
and 19 per cent last year - is also the reason for the double-digit
increase in the number of PRs here, said CIMB-GK economist Song
Seng Wun.
"It's not unexpected ... These people could have become PRs to
stay in Singapore or Asia to look for jobs. They ... are using
Singapore as a launching pad," he told Today.
Singapore's population density is now 6,814 people per square
kilometre, compared to 5,900 per sq km in 2000.
Mr Song said: "For the moment, Singapore's infrastructure is
adequate. The infrastructure is continually being upgraded."
The Population Trends 2009 report published online yesterday by
the Singapore Department of Statistics also showed that other
trends in ageing and marriage in Singapore continue to hold
steady.
The proportion of persons living alone now stands at 10 per
cent, from 8.2 per cent in 2000 and 5.2 per cent in 1990.
tell you guys something funny .... a chap I know married a china
wifey .......
after settling down for a couple of years in singapore, the
wifey's male cousin decided to come over, get a job, get PR, etc
.....
I asked him the other day what's the cousin's qualifications for
PR, and what's he doing now ? ...... he "has" a masters degree in
mechanical engineering .... and is banging away all day at a
subcontract shipyard in jurong ....
I went "huh ?" .... then the chap explained "you really think
he's got a master's degree ? ... LJ lah ! ... the fellow didn't
even graduated from primary school in china, this is only for the
PR application one lah ! ... but if anyone calls in to the
university to check, you'll find his name there one, that's how
they are .... "
dot dot dot ........
