Fewer get PR, citizenship
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May 18, 2010 - The Straits Times
Fewer get PR, citizenship
Fewer applications for Permanent Residents (PR) and Singapore citizenship were approved from April last year to March this year after the Government tightened eligibility requirements following Singaporeans' concerns and sentiments over the rapid increase in such numbers.
Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said of the 124,600 applications for PR and 24,000 application for Singapore citizenship received during the year, 46,300 and 19,300 of them were approved respectively.
And of the 70,300 applications for long-term visit passes (LTVPs) received during the same period, about 56,300 were successful.
Replying to questions from three MPs in Parliament on Tuesday, Associate Professor Ho said the Government tightened the PR and citizenship framework in the last quarter of 2009 to better manage the pace and overall numbers of foreigners.
'The eligibility requirements have generally been made more stringent,' he said. 'Hence, there would be applicants who may not meet our new criteria and who no longer qualify for PR or citizenship.
'Others, even though they meet the new criteria, may take a longer time before they are granted PR, or citizenship, as the residency requirements have been stretched out in the new framework.
'For Singaporeans or PRs whose foreign dependants do not yet qualify for PR or citizenship, they can apply for LTVPs to remain in Singapore.'
Prof Ho explained to the House that Singapore had taken in larger numbers of foreigners in the last few years 'so as to catch the wind of growth to propel our economy forward.'
'The growth in the number of new immigrants in recent years was because we wanted to take advantage of the strong economy to attract and retain suitable foreigners to sink roots here, and to augment our population,' he said.
'The Government recognises and understands Singaporeans' concerns and sentiments over the rapid increase in numbers. We have reviewed our immigration framework to better manage the pace and overall numbers.'
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People must feedback already then they do. Tsk.
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pacifier effect.
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only drop in one month but increase over the last few years not counted.
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Propaganda alert!!!
Election is indeed coming soon.
After election everything will be back to normal, and price increase in everything incluidng the salary increment of the PAP. Pay and Pay them to suck us pay more and more.
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CB bluff ppl one. Win election liao everything go back square one.
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Originally posted by small-man:
CB bluff ppl one. Win election liao everything go back square one.
That is their agenda -
the same old pattern again nothing new or creative
when gonna on fire, then start/tried to put out the blaze
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yes, election is coming.