Parliamentary reply by DPM Teo Chee Hean on applications on citizenship and permanent residence
TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE
(FIRST SESSION)
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
TUESDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2011
APPLICATIONS FOR CITIZENSHIP AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Prime Minister in respect of the last 10 years (a) what is the breakdown by country of origin for the number of (i) citizenships that are granted; (ii) permanent residence applications that are approved; and (b) what is the breakdown by province of origin for new citizenships granted to those from China.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): From 2001 to 2010, there were on average about 13,000 persons granted Singapore citizenship (SC) annually. Of this, the vast majority came from Asia, with 49.4% from Southeast Asia and 42.1% from other parts of Asia. Singapore citizenship was also granted to applicants from the Americas, Oceania and Europe.
Average Number of SC Granted Annually for 2001-2010
| Countries | Average Number of SC Granted Annually for 2001-2010 | Proportion of total |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Asian countries | 6,472 | 49.4% |
| Other Asian countries | 5,517 | 42.1% |
| Other countries | 1,121 | 8.5% |
| Total | 13,110 | 100.0% |
Over the same period, there were on average about 48,000 persons granted permanent residence (PR) status in Singapore annually. These were also predominantly from Asia, with 49.2% from Southeast Asia and 44.5% from other parts of Asia.
Average Number of PR Granted Annually for 2001-2010
| Region | Average Number of PR Granted Annually for 2001-2010 | Proportion of total |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Asian countries | 23,694 | 49.4% |
| Other Asian countries | 21,468 | 44.5% |
| Other countries | 3,041 | 6.3% |
| Total | 48,203 | 100.0% |