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